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Can mould grow in my air-conditioner?
July 3, 2019
Moulds are fungi, like mushrooms, which are present at low levels both indoors and outdoors. The most common mould we find in the majority of air conditioners we clean here in Darwin is black mould.
You can be exposed to mould on a daily basis without harm as mould needs organic materials like paper, wood or *dirt and moisture* to grow. This is what makes your air conditioner a perfect breeding ground for mould. To put it simply your air-conditioner is like a vacuum cleaner. It sucks the air in through the top of the unit, through the filter, the coil, over the fan then back into the room at a nice cool temperature. Eventually as the filters build up with dirt, some of it pushes through into the coil where it gets caught on the fins thanks to the condensation occurring.
If your air-conditioner has mould it can give off a musty smell and release countless tiny spores into the room every time it is turned on. If the mould is not properly cleaned, high levels of mould spores may be a risk to your health if you are sensitive. You can be exposed by inhaling, eating or touching mould spores. Many people that suffer symptoms from mould don’t even realise it, instead believing their symptoms are from a cold or hay fever.
Most mould symptoms are caused by mould allergies. When you breathe in mould spores your immune systems responds by creating allergic reactions. These reactions are the immune system's defence against foreign particles entering the body.
The more a person is around mould the more sensitive to it they will become. This means that they can end up unable to tolerate being around even small amounts of mould. Their allergic reactions will also become more and more severe.
Symptoms that mould allergies cause include:
- Cold or flu like symptoms
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Irritated, itchy throat
- Blocked nose
- Itchy nose
- Runny nose
- Sinus congestion
- Sinus headaches
- Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Irritated, itchy skin
- Skin rash, hives
- Watery eyes
- Hay fever symptoms
So does your air conditioner have a musty smell? Do you have any of the above symptoms? Give Advanced Clean Air a call today to get your air conditioner and your health back into shape. Advanced Clean Air - The Cleanest Air Anywhere.
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The first sign many people notice is a musty, mouldy odour. If you do a thorough clean of your office or commercial space and the smell is still there, it’s time to check your vents. Getting your Air Conditioning Contractor to remove the covers and take a quick look inside may confirm the issue, especially if you see mould or notice a stronger smell in that area. If the scent is stronger, but you can’t see the mould, then the growth is possibly further in the ducts. Another sign of a mould issue is the sudden onset of allergy symptoms. If you or a co-worker notices burning eyes, scratchy throat, or a runny nose that gets better when you leave the office, there could be an issue. Arranging for your HVAC technician to check your filters should be the first step. If it needs to be changed they can install a new one. If the symptoms continue they can do a quick check of your vents and a visual check of your ducts. Inspecting your duct work can also provide clues to a possible mould problem. An Air Systems Cleaning Specialist (ASCS) can check for signs of moisture build-up, such as condensation, dark spots, or actual leaks. Mould needs water to grow, so any signs of condensation or leaking could indicate a growth hot spot. Duct cleaning and coating is a specialised job and as such the majority of HVAC companies sub-contract duct cleaning and coating out to companies like ours. At Advanced Air we have our Air Systems Cleaning Specialist on staff ready to undertake any duct inspection, cleaning or coating project you may have.
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