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Mold on Vents
A warning sign of excess humidity.
Pilot Lights | Hot and Cold Spots | Mold on Vents | Air Ducts | Air Duct Maintenance | Severe Cold
 Some types of mold in the home can cause strong allergic reactions and even neurological damage in small children or elderly adults. On top of that, extensive mold is very expensive to eliminate and can cause the value of your home to plummet. But still most people don’t know what steps they can take to prevent its growth.
If you’ve noticed mold growing on your HVAC vents (a common place to first spot mold growth), you need to take action immediately. Calling your local ARS®/Rescue Rooter® HVAC specialist is a great first step to assess your situation and take steps to quickly solve the problem.
Mold on your HVAC vents doesn’t mean you’re a poor housekeeper. It simply means that there are areas of excessive moisture or humidity that are creating ideal breeding grounds for mole spores. Those sources of water combined with collections of dust and dirt within your ductwork are real problem spots and need to be dealt with as soon as possible.
Step one is having your ducts professionally cleaned. But if the moisture source isn’t addressed, you’ll just have another problem in a few months. So the next step is to have a professional inspect your HVAC system for a drain line backup, look for plumbing leaks or poor drainage, and give your complete system a tune-up.
If the problem turns out to be excessive humidity within your home (around or above 55%), a dehumidifier is a must. Again, your ARS®/Rescue Rooter® home comfort specialist can make the right recommendation for your home and situation.
Here are some more mold prevention tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Keep the humidity level in your home between 40% and 60%. Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier during humid months and in damp spaces, like basements.
- Be sure your home has enough ventilation. Use exhaust fans that vent outside your home in the kitchen and bathroom.
- Make sure your clothes dryer vents to outside your home.
- Fix any leaks in your home’s roof, walls, or plumbing so mold does not have moisture to grow.
- Clean up and dry out your home thoroughly and quickly (within 24–48 hours) after flooding.
- Add mold inhibitors to paints before painting.
- Clean bathrooms with mold-killing products.
- Remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have been soaked and cannot be dried promptly. Consider not using carpet in rooms or areas like bathrooms or basements that may have a lot of moisture.
To learn more about preventing mold in your home, see the Environmental Protection Agency's publication A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldguide.html
Contact your local ARS®/Rescue Rooter® comfort specialist to learn more about controlling mold in your home.
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