Molds in the home are a serious issue for many people. Mold is often responsible for making people very sick. Air conditioners can help a lot, but they need good prevention routines for best effect. There are some simple ways of reducing mold issues in your home with the help of your air con system.
Mold Allergies and Issues
Molds can create very unpleasant environments. They produce millions of spores into the air, which can cause severe allergic reactions and in some cases breathing problems. These molds love humid environments and are common in bathrooms and kitchens, or near areas where drainage or pipes are problems.
Molds are also highly destructive. They can damage building interiors severely, costing thousands of dollars worth to repair. They can also damage expensive equipment, ruin clothes, and give you a lot of work cleaning up after them.
Mold prevention
The best cure for all these problems is definitely prevention. Creating a mold-proof environment requires:
- Air conditioning with humidity controls: Dry air is great for drying up moisture which promotes the growth of molds.
- Air filtering: Air conditioning also provides a good way of removing airborne spores, which are how mold travels through a house.
- Sealers: Sealing gaps in the building or in areas where water is a risk is the easy way of preventing molds from getting established.
- Removal of materials containing molds: These should be removed as soon as possible, and completely replaced. Thorough cleaning of affected areas with a vacuum cleaner will remove spores and prevent regrowth. (Get rid of the spores when they arrive, and you get rid of new molds, too.)
- Carpet cleaning: Carpets are natural areas for molds to develop, and good shampoos and steam cleaning can kill them and remove them.
- Spot cleaning: A quick scrub of a moldy spot can prevent the entire house from getting moldy.
Mold management routine
Air conditioning is a very efficient way of controlling molds. This is actually easy to do, and you can save a fortune in the costs of mold damage in the process:
The Dry Cycle: This is a standard feature on modern systems like the current range of Panasonic and Mitsubishi air conditioners. As a regular part of your air conditioning program, the dry air regularly cycling through the home will drastically reduce any possibility of mold growth.
Carpet cleaning: It’s good practice to have a professional cleaning job done on your carpet every year. This type of cleaning can’t be done by domestic appliances, and it’s good for extending the life of your carpeting.
Vacuum cleaning: Ten minutes with a vacuum cleaner every couple of days can save your health and your wallet from serious nuisances. This minimizes any possibility of new mold problems.
With a regular cleaning system, the only mold you’re ever likely to see is on old bread, not on your walls or all over your home.