The air conditioner is one of the most important appliances in your home. It helps you stay cool in summer and warm in winter. But what happens when your air conditioner starts to smell bad? What if you start to see black dots on it? You could have mold growing inside! Mold can be dangerous, especially when it grows inside your air conditioner. If you don’t deal with it right away, mold can spread throughout your home. That’s why it’s important to learn how to get rid of mold in your air conditioner before it spreads! Don’t let mold spread through your home! Read on to get rid of mold in your air conditioner.
If there is humidity in the air, it means that mold can grow in many places and objects in the house. It can even grow in invisible and unthinkable places, like your air conditioner for example. You may notice that there is a black spot in your air conditioner that has never been there before. Well, that’s the very first sign you need to do a thorough check, because we’re pretty sure it’s a sign of mold growth.
The appearance of mold on the air conditioner certainly affects the air circulation in the house, making it unhealthy, which can endanger your health and that of your family. Untreated black mold in air conditioner can cause nasal congestion, throat irritation, coughing, as well as skin and eye irritation. Therefore, this issue should be resolved immediately. Fortunately, cleaning the air conditioner from mold is not so difficult. You can read on to find the complete guide on how to clean black mold in your air conditioner yourself.
What are the signs of mold in the air conditioning?
If you are experiencing any of the following issues, it is very possible that your air conditioner ducts are infected with black mold:
- There is a musty smell throughout the house, especially in several rooms where the air conditioner is placed.
- When you turn on the air conditioner, the pungent smell gets worse.
- You can see mold in air ducts and vents.
Why can mold grow in the air conditioning unit?
As mentioned above, if there is moisture in the air, mold can easily grow anywhere. Especially in your air conditioning system, the inside of the system is hot and has a high water vapor content, a perfect place for mold growth.
Is mold in the air conditioner dangerous?
Your health can certainly be affected by mold growing in your air conditioner. Some of the health issues that you might experience from these issues are asthma, sinus infections, and some more complex health issues like mycotoxicosis and allergic reactions.
How to avoid mold in the air conditioning?
The easy way to get rid of mold in air conditioning
Here are the things you need before you get rid of mold in your air conditioner.
- Mask
- Protective glasses
- rubber gloves
- Screwdriver
- Buckets
- Cloth
- Brush
- Cleaning solution (or bleach or distilled white vinegar)
Turn off the air conditioner
The first step in removing mold from the air conditioner is to turn off the unit to avoid spreading more unhealthy air inside your home. A contaminated air conditioner can spread mold spores throughout your home. Then, use your protective gear, like goggles, non-porous gloves, and face masks. Mold is dangerous and can affect your health, making you sick. So, wearing protective gear is very important when choosing to clean up mold yourself.
Inspect the mold
Check the condition of the central air conditioner to determine the extent of the mold problem. You may notice dark spots or the growth of pale white spots, which are indicators of fungal infection on the air conditioner. Also, if you smell an unpleasant smell when you turn on the air conditioner, there may be some kind of contamination in the air conditioner. Grab a flashlight and look inside the air conditioner for any signs of mold. If you notice significant mold growth on half or more of the appliance’s surface, it is advisable to contact a professional immediately to have it cleaned rather than cleaning it yourself.
Mix cleaning solutions
You can use all-purpose household cleaners for the cleaning solution, but you can also use diluted bleach or distilled white vinegar to clean the mold. Inside the bucket, mix warm water and diluted bleach or distilled white vinegar to kill mold.
Remove air conditioner component
Different types of air conditioners will require different approaches for you to remove the air conditioner component. You can find the specific instructions on how to remove it in your air conditioner manual. But overall, the tool you need to perform the removal is a screwdriver.
Vacuum the inside of the air conditioner
Clean the dust and dirt in the air conditioner with a vacuum cleaner. To make cleaning easier, you can use your vacuum cleaner’s various attachments and hoses to reach each side of the air conditioner.
Scrub the inside of the air conditioner
Scrub the mildew from your air conditioner with a brush and the cleaning solution. Depending on how long mold has been growing in your air conditioner, you may need to scrub it off with a lot of effort or maybe with little effort.
Rinse the air conditioner
After scrubbing it well, you can let the conditioner absorb the cleaning solution before rinsing it off with clean water. After rinsing it thoroughly, you can wipe it with a clean, dry cloth, then let the component dry on its own. Do not turn the air conditioner back on until you are sure the components are completely dry.
Reinstall air conditioner components
Once the air conditioner components are completely dry, put them back in the air conditioner and turn it on.
Checking for mold in your air conditioner
You can check if you managed to get rid of the mold problem by sniffing it after turning on the air conditioner. If you still smell the bad smell like before, it means there is still mold in your air conditioner. You should contact professional help immediately to resolve this problem.
Carry
If you live in Singapore, contact Luce air conditioning repair to receive professional assistance in getting rid of mold in your air conditioning unit.
