How do I know if I have mold in my air conditioner? A few days ago, someone asked me this question. This is a very excellent question to ask, by the way.
Do you know why molds grow in your air cooling system? Molds can grow anywhere in your home. From walls to ceilings to machines, anywhere it can grow if it gets proper food. Yes, you heard me right, proper food.
Do you know what molds eat? Dust and moistures. Anywhere in there is trapped dust or moisture build-up, molds will grow there.
Today we will learn how to know if you have mold in your aircon system. I hope this article will help you to know your answer. So without any delays, let’s get started.
How Do I Know If I Have Mold In My Air Conditioner?
If you find a musty smell coming out of your air cooling system wherever you run it, it means there is a mold inside of your air cooling system.
Can A Moldy Air Make You Sick?
Mold is a thing that can grow anywhere in your house. It can grow into the walls, ceilings even in the machines. Staying in a moldy place or inhaling moldy air can cause many health-related problems.
If a mold grows in an air cooling system, then its spores can spread all around the room with the air coming out of the aircon. If we inhale that air, we can not imagine what damage it can cause to our health. It is dangerous and also very unhealthy to stay or inhale moldy air.
How Can You Get Rid Of Molds In Your Air Conditioner?
Molds can even grow into your air cooling system. Its spores then spread into the air while air cooling systems release cool air. It is very unhealthy to inhale moldy air.
To prevent molds in your air cooling system, you can follow some steps if you want. By doing those steps regularly, you can actually stop growing molds into your aircon systems. They are-
- If you have an option for switching on the aircon’s moisture settings, then do it sometimes.
- When you are not home for weeks, leave your aircon system on. It will prevent your house and your aircon system from having molds.
- Clean the filters every one or two weeks.
- Also, vacuum your AC’s component and deep clean it so that there is no dust left.
- You can also use a mixture of white vinegar and water. If you spray this mixture every now and then, it will stop mold growth into your aircon system. Etc.
What Do Molds In An AC Look Like? How Do I Know If I Have Mould In My Air Conditioner?
If you think your aircon system has mold inside, you can check it using a flashlight. Take a flashlight and watch inside of your aircon system. If your system has molded, you will find it.
Molds actually look like a bunch of green or black or brownish kinds of stains. Some of them can look wooly or velvety.
One of them is called mildew. This is the most common one. This fungus-type mold comes with a grayish and white stain. Again, this is the most common type of mold which can be found in aircon systems most often.
Read more: Is The Outside AC Unit Hot To Touch? (Know The Reason)
What Does Moulds In AC Smell Like?
Do you know what molds in AC smell like? Have you ever experienced the smell of mold coming out of your AC?
If you ever find a foul smell coming out of your air cooling system, it means your aircon system has grown mold inside. This smell is often kind of a musty or earthy kind of smell.
Can Black Mold Grow In An Air Conditioner?
Often air cooling systems ducts are not suitable for molds to grow. Molds need a food source to grow. Air cooling systems are not suitable for a mold to grow because of sheet iron ducts and styrofoam channels in your window component. These things are not in a food list of a mold to help it grow.
Clouds of dust are the leading criminal. Dust actually helps molds to grow inside of your air cooling system. So you should regularly clean the aircon system so that it does not trap bags of dust inside.
The Black Stuffs Inside Your AC Is Mold?
If you see some black things are coming out of your air cooling system’s vents, don’t confuse it with mold because those black things do not mold.
Those black things are soots created from the candles or fireplaces. If you use them in your house, it is typical for your aircon system to absorb them. That is why you see those dusty black things while venting.
What Are The Symptoms Of Molds?
If you live in a moldy house or inhale the moldy air for a long time, it will create severe health issues. It is unhealthy and dangerous for all of us. It is horrible, especially for our lungs.
If you live in a moldy place, you will have some symptoms before your health situation worsens.
If you are doing these things more often, it means there are molds somewhere in your house, maybe in your walls or ceiling or inside of your aircon system, or inside of any other device. The symptoms are-
- Sneezing more than usual.
- Stuffy nose.
- Runny nose.
- Skin infections.
- Rash or itching.
- Watery eyes.
- Respiratory problems.
- Asthma.
- Chest tightness or suffocations. Etc.
If you are facing these things, it means you have newly grown molds somewhere in your house. First, find it and then get rid of it as soon as possible.
How Much Does It Cost To Remove Molds From Your AC?
Sometimes molds can grow so much that it gets out of our hands to clean them by ourselves. In this case, we need a professional to do this job for us.
Removing molds from the inside of our air cooling systems component or in its air ducts can cost about $1,900 to $6,500.
It is very, very expensive. If the molds are severe and if you can afford to buy a new aircon system, you should buy a new one if you can instead of cleaning it by someone.
Will Duct Cleaning Remove Mold?
When it’s time for your monthly home cleaning maintenance time, air ducts cleaning is one of the essential parts of that service. It is very easy to have molds inside of your air ducts if your home has high humidity and high temperature.
Homes like these are the favorite places for molds to grow. So cleaning an air duct will not just help you get rid of the specks of dust and impurities, but it will also help you prevent molds inside your ducts.
So always clean your air ducts to prevent having mold.
How Do You Test For Mold In Air Vents?
If you find a smell coming out from your AC vents while the air is blowing and the smell is kind of musty or earthy, it means your air cooling system has grown mildew somewhere inside of it.
Don’t inhale too much air if you find that kind of a smell coming from the vents. If you are curious and wanna test the vents, to be sure, then go near the vent and then take a couple of breaths.
If you find that smell, then just be sure the reason behind it is mold, and you have to get rid of it as soon as possible.
Why Does Your House Smell Musty When You Run The AC?
If you find a musty smell coming out of your air cooling system, it means there are molds built around somewhere inside of your aircon system.
The favorite place for a mold to grow inside of your aircon system is in the evaporator coil. The evaporator coil is located in black and in a greasy, or you can say full of moisture location. It is very easy for molds to grow there.
Apart from there is an AC drain pan which is another favorite for molds to grow. These drain evaporator coils, drain pans, etc., are the primary source of bacterial growth. So always clean them.
How To Prevent From Black Molds In Your AC?
You need to follow some steps if you want to prevent black molds in your air cooling system. They are-
- Always clean your drain pan.
- If your air filter is washable, then wash them regularly every one or two weeks. If it is not, then replace them if you find them dirty.
- Install a mold inhibitor in your aircon system.
- Always apply disinfectant.
- Always clean your ducts and keep them as dry as possible.
- Always look out the air intakes.
- If there are any leaks or gaps, seal them so that there are no chances left for building up humidity.
- Buy a dehumidifier and use them in the areas where molds can grow.
How Do You Test For Mold?
Molds can grow anywhere from machines to walls. Earlier, I have told you how to test the molds inside your aircon system. This time I will tell you about a secret mixture for testing your wall mold.
If your molds are visible, then it gets easier to get rid of them, but what about the invisible ones? Some molds are invisible but still make our surface look dirty and unclean.
In this case, there is a magic mixture that you can apply to check if there is a mold or not. That is, mix 1 part of bleach and 16 parts of water in a spraying bottle. Then, spray it or dap it with a paper towel into the wall.
If you find your dirty surface lightens very fast or if it is still coming back, then be sure this is mold.
Why Do You Get Mold Around Your AC Vents?
If you wonder why you get mold around your AC vents, let me tell you why.
When your aircon system releases cold air through the vents, it can also reveal the hot air inside of your room. This heat difference can create condensation from the humidity and leave it on your vents’ surfaces.
If the humidity grows and never gets the way to dry out, it can create molds out of it. That is the reason why you see molds around your AC vents.
Do You Need A Professional To Remove Molds?
Some molds are severe and are out of our hands to clean them by ourselves. In that case, we do need a professional to remove those molds for us.
But if the molds are small and simple to clean or remove then, you can easily do it by yourself.
Molds can happen if there is water leakage or water flooding problem in our house. So if you have these kinds of problems in your house, fix them quickly because water problems are the main reasons for molds to grow.
Do Air Purifiers Help With Mold?
Air purifiers can actually help you to prevent molds. If the purifier finds them in the air, it can easily remove mold spores. We all know how purifiers work. First, it consumes the air, then filters all the clouds of dust and impurities, and then releases the fresh air through it.
There are many kinds of purifiers you can find in the market. But to prevent and trap airborne mold spores, you have to buy a HEPA air purifier.
This HEPA air purifier must have these two essential things to reduce the mold’s awful smell and stop the mold’s spores from multiplying. They are the Activated Carbon Filter and the UV-C light.
How Much Does It Cost To Have Your Air Conditioner Cleaned?
You have to keep your air cooling system clean at any cost to avoid creating unnecessary problems. Molds, clogs, ice builds, water draining, etc., are some common problems that can happen if you don’t keep your air cooling system clean.
But do you know how much you have to spend to clean your air cooling system by a professional? It will cost you about $100 to $400 to clean the AC coils as a standalone service.
The external component is called the condenser, and if you want to clean it, then it will cost you about $75 to $200.
You have to clean them every once a year. If you can afford it, then clean it every month.
Conclusion
I guess by now you have got your answer for your question that you have asked me, which states that, how do I know if I have mold in my air conditioner?
So from now on, if you find any mold in your air cooling system, get rid of it as soon as possible. And you can also prevent molds from growing by doing the things which I have suggested you do.