Facts About Mold in Air Ducts Every Georgia Homeowner Should Know

Mold can occur anywhere in the home, even in drywall. For mold to grow, there must be certain conditions present: 

There are many different types of mold out there. Not every type of mold will be toxic to you, your pets and your family. Yet some molds can cause mild allergic reactions, or will further aggravate existing allergies or asthma symptoms. Some common types of mold that may be found in the home and in air ducts include: 

On very rare occasions, toxic black mold called Stachybotrys chartarum, may be present in the home. This mold is more commonly found along drywall, attics, basements or in homes that have experienced flooding where materials have remained wet for more than 72 hours. While this mold is black or a very dark green in color, other non-toxic molds can also be this color. So even though there may be black spots on a vent or in the duct, it may not be the toxic black mold variety.

It can be difficult to determine whether mold is the reason for your sickness because many of the symptoms can be caused by other factors. For people who are sensitive to allergies, mold in air ducts symptoms may include the following:

People who have asthma or lung problems may also experience worsening respiratory conditions. If there is toxic Stachybotrys chartarum black mold present, a person may experience mold poisoning (mycotoxicosis). There can also be these other health concerns: nose bleeding, changes in mood, aches, pains, memory loss, and headaches. People with weak immune systems may experience an increased risk of developing fungal infections.

The two best ways to determine if mold is present in your home or making you sick are to have your ducts inspected and to have a mold test performed. There are several different types of tests available, such as an air test and a swab test. While there are do-it-yourself kits available, it is advisable to have a professional company perform the testing to determine the presence of mold spores. If mold spores are detected, samples can be gathered and sent off to a lab for analysis to figure out the type of mold that is in your home.

For very mild and isolated cases where the problem is reachable, you can perform the mold in air duct cleaning yourself using a homemade cleaning solution or a commercial mold removal solution. Unfortunately, if the solution isn't strong enough to completely kill the mold spores, the mold will keep growing back. 

Hiring a professional cleaning company is typically the better solution to address air duct mold removal, especially if you are experiencing health concerns as you should limit your exposure to the present mold. Our air duct cleaning technicians at Dynasty Ducts will professionally inspect every air duct to identify the presence of mold as we can also help determine what is causing the issue. The issue could be a leaky duct system, a cracked water pipe, blocked vents, or even a bathroom ventilation system that was installed incorrectly as the fan is venting the warm and humid air into the house. 

Once figuring out the root cause of the moisture issue, we can provide advice on how the problem can be repaired. Then once repairs are made, our technicians will take special mold remediation and containment steps. We will professionally clean out the air ducts to remove the mold as well as the dust and dirt that provides nutrients to it. We will also use a UVC light system to contain the mold to prevent it from spreading and to destroy any remaining spores. 

Reference: Medical News Today