Air Duct Mold Removal

When I received this request for air duct cleaning, I wanted to make sure I was the best option for the project.  It was early in the workday, and he was the first caller of the day. 

“A Friend Used Your Service For Air Duct Cleaning Before And Recommended That I Give You A Call”

The customer went on to explain that there was some renovation in an office he was planning to open and there was some mold discovered.  He was instructed to have a certified mold remediation specialist come on site to check the HVAC system and air ducts for mold contamination.

How Mold Grows in Air Ducts

The HVAC system compresses air in what is know as the “a-coil” of a unit.  When the air is compressed it produces an excesses of moisture which is released from the unit by way of a “pipe drain,” usually made from plumbers PVC.  Proper maintenance of the air duct system requires this pipe drain be cleaned regularly.  It is recommended that this drain be cleaned whenever you change the filter of your HVAC unit, or once a month.

When proper maintenance of the air duct drainage system is ignored, foreign waste particles begin to build up over time causing clogs and drainage back ups.

Excess Moisture Allows Mold to Grow In Air Ducts

Elevated moisture levels supported by pipe drain clogs create the prefect conditions for mold to grow in air ducts.  There are signs that you have mold growing in your HVAC unit.

• Visible mold growth on the PVC

• Visible mold on air duct vent covers

• Heavy build up on return covers

NADCA recommends having your air ducts cleaned once per year; however, research suggests that the average homeowner only has their air ducts cleaned once every three to five years.  When you combine this lack of air duct cleaning with the lack of HVAC drain cleaning the likeliness of developing a mold contamination issue within your air duct system becomes highly probable.

Humidifiers May Support Mold Growth in Air Ducts

Many homeowners love the idea of installing a “whole house humidifier” in their HVAC system.  While the ideal may sound nice, the pros may not outweigh the cons.  I never suggest that a humidifier be installed in an air duct system without simultaneously installing a UV light system to help combat the elevated likeliness of mold growth developing in the HVAC system once the humidifier is installed.

Dirty Filters Support Mold Growth in Air Ducts

I recommend installing filters at each of the return openings of the air duct HVAC system.  By doing this you reduce the amount of foreign particulates entering the HVAC unit, both organic and non-organic.  However; disposable filters are designed to be disposed, usually after thirty days.  Once a filter has reached its capacity it becomes inefficient.

Residential Air Duct Mold Remediation

Mold Metrix specializes in residential mold remediation and does not offer air duct cleaning where there is no concerns of mold contamination.  Most air duct cleaning companies are not mold remediation and removal specialist.  This is the distinction between Mold Metrix and other companies offering air duct mold removal services.  At Metrix, we SPECIALISE in solving the specific problem of removing mold from an HVAC system.

3 Steps to Air Duct Mold Removal

Decontaminate Main HVAC Unit

This involves cleaning and decontaminating both the blow, a-coil, return box and other interior components of the unit, as well as the exterior components such as the drainpipe.  Your HVAC is the “heart” of your home and the air ducts and like its “lungs.”  When mold contamination begins, it usually starts here and then is spread to other areas of the home or office.

Decontaminate Air Ducts & Filters

In most cases, mold will not become established throughout the entire air duct system, for two reasons.

• Forced Air Movement

• Smooth Sheet Metal Interior

Forced air movement mean that there is a “consistent and steady flow of air” so that particulates do not have a chance to become settled.  Most air duct systems are designed to eliminate or minimalize the production of ninety-degree edges for smooth air flow transitions.  The majority of residential air duct installations uses sheet metal and keeps the inside un-insulated, but interior insulation in air ducts does exist, when it does, it causes complications in air duct mold removal projects.

Install UV Light

The IICRC S520 Mold Remediation standard require that mold effected materials be removed during a mold remediation.  This raises a critical issue involving air duct cleaning and mold remediation, because following the standard to the “letter” would mean replacing the entire HVAC system, and air ducts, which would cost a fortune and require a major renovation.  Fortunately, the HVAC unit and sheet metal air ducts are salvageable due to their material constitution. 

NADCA, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, writes guidelines on how to clean air ducts. Based on the IICRC S520, NADCA recommends UV light installation after an HVAC system has been cleaned and decontaminated.

Check out the video posted on YouTube associated with this blog to get a better understanding and visual of what an air duct mold removal project involves.  Choose Metrix over the Matter, Because the Power to Change the Matter is in the Metrix.