Got Mold?
Mold in my duct work!
Mold complaints are always a big part of the HVAC business, and while we aren’t a mold remediation company, we still have some great options to kill the mold that is already growing in air ducts, and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the home.
Don’t feed the beast, or it will stay!
Mold can only be present if there is enough moisture to feed its growth. Moisture can come from a variety of places, but more often than not, we find that it is due to a clogged condensate drain line, and that water blows into the duct work when it should have drained out of the unit and gone out of the home. Soggy insulation and wet duct walls are prime growing areas for mold, so step one, cure the moisture problem and the mold can’t grow.
The moisture is gone, so I am cured, right?
No – unfortunately, mold is super hard to get rid of. Even in the parent colony has dried up, it can still reanimate if moisture is reintroduced, so step 2 is to disinfect. A mold specific disinfectant is necessary to kill the colony. We apply the disinfectant with a purpose built fogger, and can penetrate areas of duct work that you just cant reach any other way.
I used the disinfectant fog, so problem solved, right?
Sorry, but there is even more bad news. Mold spores will have left the duct work, and will be present in other areas in your home. Virtually every surface in your home can harbor dormant mold spores, especially gaps and cracks. Spores can survive for a really long time – possibly for thousands of years, so you just can’t wait it out. Even if the mold is 100% removed from the HVAC system, eventually, some spores will find their way back into the duct work, and if the moisture problem returns, the mold can return as well. Even so, there are options.
So how do I deal with the dormant spores?
First, and possibly the most costly strategy, replace your duct work entirely and add some sort of sterilization equipment to your HVAC system. This option is mostly a last resort, but there are times when it is the best choice. For instance, if the duct work has been so damaged by the moisture problem, complete replacement makes the most sense. Even if you replace your duct work, it has no impact on the dormant spores present in the rest of the home, so you will need to do this in conjunction with one of the other options below.
What is the best sterilization approach?
The least expensive method is to use UV sterilization. A UV (ultra violet) sterilizer isn’t terribly effective in killing mold of used by itself, but once active mold colonies have been eliminated, they are a great weapon in preventing mold from coming back. UV Sterilizers are installed next to the indoor coil inside of the HVAC system, and the light emits enough UV radiation to destroy any mold spore that passes by, so the spore is incapable of growing – even if it lands in a moist environment. As an added bonus, UV sterilizers neutralize other items too, like infectious bacteria, so you often see these systems in medical facilities.
The big advantage is killing bacteria and spores. The disadvantage is that these are only effective if the spore/bacteria pass directly by the UV sterilizer. Skeptical? Don’t take my word for it. Here is an Angie’s List link to do some additional explaining.
Another option is a UV Sterilizer plus Ionizer. These systems can cost twice as much as a UV Sterilizer alone, but the ionizer portion does what the UV Sterilizer can’t. Consider that the UV sterilizer can only kill what passes by it. This means mold spores that find their way back into the system, but becomes stuck in the duct work before it passes by the UV sterilizer are unaffected. An ionizer can get these spores too by generating ionized molecules that flow with the air, and go where spores go. These ions kill spores on contact, and are generally active for around an hour. Check out this video to see how they work.
The big advantage is the far reach of the ions, but the disadvantage is there is some controversy as to the effectiveness of these types of systems. Some say they are completely bogus, while others say they are as close to magic as science can get us. There is likely some truth to both sides because there are ionizing products that don’t do much more than produce ozone, and others that do a great job. I can say that I have personally spoken with representatives at Air Oasis, and I am sold on their product, so that is what we install.
It is well understood that mold can be hazardous, but we have some good options that will allow you to breathe easier, and you won’t need a 2nd mortgage to buy some peace of mind. Dealing with mold is one of the Indoor Air Quality Services that we offer. If you need mold removal in the Athens, AL area, give us a call at (256) 636-6225. Also serving Decatur and Cullman.
