Air conditioner mold can spread throughout the house every time you turn your air conditioner on and exposure to mold can lead to numerous health problems, including respiratory disorders and allergic reactions. Air conditioning mold needs to be removed as soon as possible, to protect your health and the health of your loved ones.This article deals with mold in central AC systems. If you have mold in a window air conditioner unit, follow the link for more information. Mold in your air conditioning system can lead to a wide range of illnesses. All types of mold can trigger allergic reactions in people sensitive to those substances, but some types of mold produce toxic compounds known as mycotoxins which can lead to serious conditions like pneumonia and bleeding in the lungs. Mold found anywhere in the home can lead to health problems, but when mold is in the air conditioning system, it can be particularly problematic. Microscopic mold spores become airborne when air blows through the ducts and are dispersed throughout the home, where they are easily inhaled.

Babies and elderly people are most susceptible to mold-related illnesses, but even healthy young adults can get sick.my ac unit not working Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and if you can prevent the development of mold in the first places, that’s much better than having to remove it later on. home ac parts fort worthThe Air Conditioning Contractors of America website explains that keeping your air conditioning ducts free of dirt and other debris can reduce the likelihood of mold growth by making sure there is no organic matter in the ducts on which mold can feed. window ac hot airMold also needs water in order to grow and condensation inside air conditioning ducts often provides just enough moisture for mold to thrive. There should not be standing water inside your air conditioning ducts, though, and if there is, you need to have your system serviced.

You should check your air conditioning ducts for mold if you have mold growing in other areas of your home or if you smell a musty odor in a room but don’t see mold anywhere. If you’re not sure if there is mold in your air conditioning ducts or not, you can have a certified mold tester come in and test for mold. He or she can check for mold in other areas of the home, too, since mold in your air conditioning system is easily spread to other areas of the home when you turn on your air conditioner. If mold is found in your ductwork, or elsewhere in the home, the mold tester will come back after the mold cleanup has been completed to make sure it has all been removed. To find certified mold testers near you, just follow the link. While some homeowners prefer to deal with a household mold problem on their own, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends calling in a professional if you have air conditioner mold. It can be difficult to access all parts of the air conditioning ductwork, but professionals have the equipment needed to get the job done, including air whips or air skippers that drive dust, dirt, mold, and other debris toward collection devices fitted with HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters.

Professionals also know how to do the job correctly and safely, so that you and your loved ones aren’t exposed to harmful mold spores during the process of removing mold from your air conditioning ducts. Of course, they can assist you with removal of mold from other areas of the home, as well, if needed. Follow this link to find experienced mold removal specialists near you.Mold in HVAC - Additional information on what to do if you have mold in your heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or duct work.Return From Air Conditioner Mold To Home Page Does Insurance Cover Mold Removal?Although most air conditioners see their heaviest use during the hot summer months, it is still possible for a central or window air conditioning unit to freeze up during these months. Unfortunately, the solution isn’t quite as simple as just physically removing the ice in your AC system. To do so is treating the symptom and not the underlying cause, and it probably won’t permanently unfreeze your unit.

There are a variety of causes of this problem, all of which will dictate how you go about solving it. However, before you even begin to diagnose or repair the problem, the first thing you have to do is thaw the ice. To thaw an air conditioner unit, turn the entire unit off. Deactivate the breakers so that the circuits do not short out during the thawing process. WARNING: This is a very important step. The unit must be off and its breakers as well. Water and electrical appliances do not mix. As the air conditioner thaws, water will drip and leak from the unit itself. To prevent the thawing water from creating a mess, fix a trash bag or bucket underneath the air conditioner unit. Monitor this carefully over the next couple of hours as the ice melts. Once the ice has melted, allow the air conditioner unit to dry for 24 hours. Be careful that the unit is entirely dry before operating it again. There are several potential causes of freezing in an air conditioner unit.

The filters, cooling coils, and fins all may be completely or partially responsible. In order to ensure that your air conditioner does not continue to freeze in the future, examine each of these component pieces for maintenance needs. Filters that are worn out or dirty may contribute to freezing in an air conditioner. Check to see if the filters are broken or need to be replaced. Typically, you should plan on cleaning or replacing the filters in your air conditioner unit every two to three months. Test them to ensure that air can flow through them with ease. The cooling coils in the air conditioner unit, also known as evaporator coils, are also potential contributors to freezing units. Essentially, the coil evaporates heat from the inside of the unit to the outside of the air conditioner system. By removing this heat, the coil lowers its temperature, and in conjunction with your AC’s coolant, this is the component that actually gets cold and allows your system to blow cool air.

Because of either poor airflow within the unit, which can stem from the filter problem mentioned above, or a lack of coolant, the evaporator coil can overcool itself to the point of creating condensation, which eventually freezes into the ice. To treat the cooling coils, clean any dirt off of them carefully. As you do this, be careful not to bend any of the cooling fins that are attached. The cooling fins work in harmony with the evaporator coil. The fins are electric or mechanical. They are just physical structures that increase surface area for heat transfer within the unit. In the case of an air conditioner, the fins provide more surface area for heat to travel along and it moves away from the cooling coil and out of the unit and into the atmosphere. Assuming the fins aren’t broken, the best way to treat them is to use a vacuum cleaner to thoroughly clean the fins. Examine the air conditioner fans to ensure that they are working properly as well. If you’ve ruled out other potential causes, it may be time to test the coolant levels, as this is a frequent cause of air conditioner freezing.