Most people are aware that exposure to household mold can cause illness. If you think there might be mold in your air conditioner, you can look at the filter, the evaporator coils, and the other parts that are easily visible. When mould gets into your air conditioner, it will go into circulation around your home. However, when black mold starts growing in your air vents, things get a little trickier. The smell becomes stronger and much worse as you turn on your air conditioner. One way to watch out for mold is through scent. Symptoms of an allergic reaction to mold include hives, rashes, and trouble breathing caused by swelling of the throat. If your air conditioner or HVAC ducts test positive for mold after the mold removal job has been done, the professional should come back and remove any remaining mold without any additional cost to you. You might notice mold in the air conditioner when performing routine maintenance, like when cleaning or replacing the filter or removing debris from around the evaporator coils. It is an extremely common allergen, so unless you’re one of the lucky few who is not allergic, expect more responses. It probably does not surprise you to hear that mold in air conditioner systems can make you sick. Make sure any professional you hire has experience removing mold and will guarantee the work. That is not the case with central air conditioning, however. When these microorganisms go air-borne, they can lead to a multitude of breathing problems, including a potentially fatal infectious pneumonia, Legionnaire's disease, caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila. It’s not to be taken lightly. It probably does not surprise you to hear that mold in air conditioner systems can make you sick. Damp conditions and mould growth in homes increases the risk of respiratory allergy symptoms and exacerbate asthma in mold-sensitive individuals. that is thriving in the air-conditioned room. Mold anywhere in your home can make you sick, of course. (2020), What is the Cost to Convert R-22 to an R-410 Refrigerant, Does your Air Conditioner use R-22 Refrigerant, Freon Air Conditioner Replacements in 2020. For further information and advice on mould issues, contact the Environmental Health section of your local council. Control humidity with air conditioners and/or dehumidifiers*. If mold is discovered, the professional will return after the mold removal has been completed to make sure no traces of mold remain. Here is more about health problems due to black mold. places.singleplatform.com, We're currently offline. Use exhaust fans when cooking, dishwashing, or laundering (especially in the food service or laundry areas) or when cleaning large areas. Or an HVAC technician might discover the mold when performing routine maintenance or repairs. If you need to have mold removed from your air conditioner or your home's HVAC system, including your air ducts, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends choosing a professional that complies with the standards established by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA). Mold in window air conditioning units is also a problem, since window units blow mold spores out into the room. Black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum, is a greenish-black mold that grows on materials such as fiberboard, gypsum board, paper, lint, and dust “when there is moisture from water damage, excessive humidity, water leaks, condensation, water infiltration, or flooding.” black mold air conditioner This is the type of mould that can cause illness and allergies. The best way to be absolutely sure about whether or not you have a mold problem is to hire a professional to run individual tests in your home. In severe cases, it can cause the throat to swell, making breathing difficult. Inhaling fungus spores is dangerous for health and can cause multiple problems. Things are a bit more complicated if you have central air. Mold in air conditioning units is mostly the result of not cleaning the system or having regular maintenance done on it. Usually, these allergic reactions are relatively minor, but in some cases, they can be fatal. The end result can be an expensive and inconvenient breakdown when you need your cooling system the most. In addition to confirming whether the mold is a problem, experts can return to the house after you’ve performed removal to retest and help make sure that you’re in the clear. Be sure to have a third party retest your HVAC system for mold after the job is done to ensure that whoever you hired did a thorough job; if mold remains, any licensed professional should return and finish the job for no additional cost. There is no cost and no obligation on your part. Microscopic mold spores, too tiny to see and very light, are easily inhaled. The air conditioning unit as a place for mold to grow is even more dangerous because it is constantly blowing cold air out of it and spreading those spores all over. Mold Growth in Air Conditioning Systems. Mould, when left long enough, can also cause significant problems that will affect the efficiency of your air conditioner. Exposure to mold may experience an inflammatory response to the mold, especially if you already suffer from asthma, allergies, or a … Ms Buhagiar has been treated in the US for toxic mould syndrome. In the same study, researchers found that mold exposure can lead to serious lung infections in people with immune disorders or chronic lung conditions. Call us Any Time! Thanks for sharing. Most people are aware that exposure to household mold can cause illness. You can read more about that characteristic odor of mold, but it indicates the presence of mold somewhere. According to the CDC, “molds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation. You might suspect mold in your air conditioner if you notice a musty odor when the air conditioner is turned on. Your air conditioning can be making you sick, and you may not even realize it. This is the coil in the interior cabinet of the AC where the refrigerant evaporates and draws heat from the air around it, cooling it. Your cooling unit is supposed to emit odourless air so you’ll know something is off when you notice a musty smell reeking from your air conditioner. Mold in a central air system, on the other hand, can easily affect the entire home. Despite the commonly held belief that black mold exposure is a serious health concern, no convincing research suggests that exposure to this type of … People with mold allergies may have more severe reactions. Well, you have a lot of options so don’t panic! So it’s important to deal with it swiftly. (Photo: Carly Buhagiar) CALLS FOR A NATIONAL INQUIRY. To find out for certain, we recommend having a professional come in to test for mold. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends hiring a professional that adheres to the professional standards established by industry organizations like the American Industrial Hygiene Association and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. The real danger of mold does not come from the impact on your HVAC system, but the effect on your health. But did you realize that mold can also grow inside of air conditioning systems, spreading through the very air you breathe? Whether the mold is in your air conditioner unit or in your home heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts, it is a health hazard. In some instances, a build-up of mould can even lead to blockages within the air conditioning drains. Mold … Remedy: Make sure your air conditioning systems are cleaned regularly and the filter changed every few months. In some people, mold allergy is linked to asthma and exposure causes restricted breathing and other airway symptoms.If you have a mold allergy, the best defense is to reduce your exposure to the types of mold that cause your reaction. Mold can cause a variety of negative reactions, including allergic reactions and various respiratory problems. 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. On hot summer days, it may be tempting to set the air conditioner to a temperature below the 20 °C mark. You can find qualified mold remediation professionals offering free in-home consultations in your area by following the link provided. If you’re looking for a professional to help you test for mold in your house, try to find individuals or companies who follow standards such as those created by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists or the American Industrial Hygiene Association. The dangers of mold in your air conditioner If mold is growing in your house, it can release spores that can be easily inhaled. It was the air conditioner,” Dr Jones said. It's been linked to health problems ranging from respiratory infections to eye infections, from joint pain to fatigue, from depression to bleeding in the lungs. Mold can grow virtually anywhere in your home, and regardless of location, exposure can lead to health problems. Air conditioning sickness starts where air conditioners and bacteria, fungi, mold, and mildew meet. These compounds can lead to serious health issues such as pneumonia and bleeding in the lungs. Many people will also have an allergic reaction upon contact with mold. Airborne mould spores are commonly found in both indoor and outdoor environments. The air conditioner is the hidden place where mold can overgrow and air continually circulating through the unit inside your home. 2. Side effects of mold. Black mold is a danger for people and their pets regardless of general health when mold spores are breathed. In this scenario, since the air conditioner isn’t connected to any ducts in your home, the mold will not spread in the same way. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends making sure that you choose an individual or professional who sticks with the NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association) standards when finding someone to help you remove mold from your home’s air conditioning unit. If you have a mold allergy, your immune system overreacts when you breathe in mold spores. Inhaling mold spores can trigger an asthma attack, causing shortness of breath, wheezing, and rapid breathing. At least initially, mold blown from a window air conditioning unit affects only the room in which the window unit is installed. Photos taken of the air conditioner at the time show mould growing inside the casing and on its fins. Or call us for immediate assistance. However, mold in air purifier health risks is real for pets and people with COPD, asthma, allergies, and other respiratory difficulties. Air conditioning mold needs to be removed as soon as possible, to protect your health and the health of your loved ones. Emergency Air Conditioning Repair in Palm Beach County and Surrounding Area. HOW TO CHANGE AIR FILTERS PROPERLY 1. And the truth is, if you have mold in your air conditioner, there is probably also mold in the HVAC ducts, since it's all connected. Therefore, cleaning and having yearly HVAC maintenance done pays off in the long run because mold deteriorates and destroys the surfaces it … 2940 NW Commerce Park Dr #12, Boynton Beach, FL 33426, Products and Services: Prevent mold -- and the health problems it causes -- with these basic tips from the experts at WebMD. Whether the mold is in your air conditioner unit or in your home heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts, it … TURN OFF THE[...], Here are 7 Different Ways to Repair an AC unit[...], AC Compressor Is Not Working But the AC Fan Runs[...]. Its scientific name is stachybotrys chartarum, and while there are other strains of mold that produce mycotoxins, stachybotrys chartarum is probably the one about which we hear the most. Air conditioner sickness is caused by the spreading of pathogens such as mold and bacteria by the air conditioner. Mold can be one of the negative effects of floods or can indicate a problem with your air conditioning system. if needed, use a dehumidifier or air conditioner to reduce humidity levels; you can use a hygrometer (an inexpensive tool available at most hardware stores) to measure humidity; clean regularly clean and disinfect anything that holds water, like humidifiers, de-humidifiers and air conditioners; About mould. Many modern homes have a full HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system, which makes it all the easier for mold to become a problem because once it infiltrates one system, it spreads through the ducts to everything else. However, mold located in air conditioning units spreads spores out into the air throughout the house, which makes it especially dangerous and especially likely to cause sickness. 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