You rely on your HVAC system to keep your home comfortable, from warming you up in the winter to cooling down your home in the summer. However, if you don’t schedule regular heating and air inspections, your system can suffer a number of different problems, including mold buildups. To determine if you could benefit from a heating and air inspection, learn the following signs that you have mold developing and what you can do to combat this issue.

How Can You Identify Mold?

There are several symptoms you will observe if mold is invading your HVAC system, starting with a strong mildew or musty smell throughout your home. If it continues to build up, you may even experience nose, throat, and eye irritation when running your air conditioning. This is particularly true in a small, enclosed room.

These physical symptoms can worsen into a runny nose, rashes, watery eyes, unexplained headaches, and fatigue if the growth spreads further. For particularly accelerated cases, you may even be able to see the mold forming in your air ducts. The spores can present as green, black, or white splotchy patches. 

What Causes Mold to Develop?

Warm locations with high water vapor content provide the perfect environment for mold to grow, making your air ducts particularly susceptible to this issue. Water vapor can be contained in the duct when cold air passes, which causes water droplets to pool instead of evaporating.

Dust, dirt, pollen, and dander feed the mold, while damp, dark surroundings of your air ducts provide the ideal setting for it to spread over months at a time. HVAC mold is common in bathrooms, attics, and basements due to the damp or darker conditions. 

How Can You Remove Mold?

There are several EPA-recommended products you can purchase that are approved for residential use. When utilizing these cleaners, always wear a mask, industrial cleaning gloves, coveralls, and goggles, and use a scrubbing brush to remove the mold.

If the growth is substantial, you should call a mold abatement team to rid of the substance safely and reliably. This may require you and your family to stay at a hotel or a family member’s house until your home’s air quality is deemed safe once again. To ensure mold doesn’t develop again, schedule biannual heating and air inspections with a professional to catch any potential problems before they escalate.

If your HVAC system isn’t performing optimally, consult the team at Alleghany Highlands Mechanical Inc in Covington, VA. Whether you require emergency services, repairs, or maintenance visits like heating and air inspections, these professionals can assist you with any HVAC needs. To learn more about their services, visit them online or call (540) 965-0767.