How do you remove mold in AC vents in house

[wdrumheller]

Hello,

My wife noticed some mold in our basement, and so she called a mold detection guy, and he came and did testing and looked through things today, and said that essentially all of the vent tubes / pipes in the house have mold in them from the previous owner's whole-house humidification system that sprayed water into the system after the blower.

I removed that humidification system, and that was 6 years ago. This mold guy, told us that we should probably replace all of the blower ducts / vents in the whole house. Fortunately they are above a drop ceiling in the basement, and in the attic.

Has anyone else had to replace the vents / tubes in their houses due to mold?

I called my homeowner's insurance and they said "we don't cover mold".

 

[kd3pc]

I would want to see the results of the mold test...and that the mold was in fact a problem. It could be damp lint/dust and such.

How old is the house, what is the current relative humidity/temp and so on?

I am doubtful that a humidifier, would put that much moisture in the air and that conditions that far through the system are growing mold.

Same ducts provide heat???...

 

[trashmanssd]

http://ductandvent.com/

Contact a duct cleaning company first may be a cheaper alternative that may work if its not crazy bad mold infestation.

 

[ReggieR]

Mold expert ? Another thief with a name tag, gloves, a bag of cotton balls, and magnetic sign on his truck ?
I think I know him ! His brother has the gray truck' Radon Detection" and finds radon under granite counter tops !

https://www.concrobium.com/

 

[wdrumheller]

I would want to see the results of the mold test...and that the mold was in fact a problem. It could be damp lint/dust and such.

How old is the house, what is the current relative humidity/temp and so on?

I am doubtful that a humidifier, would put that much moisture in the air and that conditions that far through the system are growing mold.

Same ducts provide heat???...

The house is 50 years old, built in 1969 or so. It's humid around here in Virginia in the Shenandoah valley.

The mold report should be done soon. It's in the ducts, and also in one of the crawl-spaces that does not have a vapor barrier in place.

I'll report back with the mold information is clarified.

 

[rlitman]

Mold expert ? Another thief with a name tag, gloves, a bag of cotton balls, and magnetic sign on his truck ?
I think I know him ! His brother has the gray truck' Radon Detection" and finds radon under granite counter tops !

https://www.concrobium.com/

LOL. Yeah, Concrobium is good stuff.

...The mold report should be done soon...
I'll report back with the mold information is clarified.

Let me take a guess. The report will say that mold was found. Let me give you a hint. The report will ALWAYS say that mold was found.

 

[mikec35]

Mold tests can fluctuate depending on the day and the environment around you. There are no guidelines for acceptable levels of mold. I see no difference spraying a humidifier through the ductwork and spraying concrobium to kill the mold through it. Too bad the humidification system isn't still in place, I'd try to run the concrobium through it if it were mine. Whats the humidity in your basement? Do you have a dehumidifier? You need to eliminate the source of water/humidity or any efforts you do to remediate mold will be an exercise in futility as it's surely to return due to the continued moisture.

 

[b-boy]

I think the whole mold remediation thing is a bit of a racket. I think it's the new asbestos. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a house without some mold.

I had an house inspector list the word 'mold' on a home report when I sold my house 3 years ago. There was an 8"x8" patch of it on the sheathing under my roof.

Everybody completely freaked out about it. I had to pay $1,400 to get the patch of mold remediated. The buyer was threatening to back out of the deal, and my realtor said that if the house was listed as a mold house we'd never be able to sell it.

So I caved. The mold guys tested the patch - no issues. They spent about an hour blasting the sheathing with CO2 to freeze and kill any mold. The guys who did the work said that there was no mold problem. However, they were very happy to accept my check.

 

[Showkey]

DIY duct cleaning........**** and Span bucket, mop and sponge. Take the ducts apart ( end caps etc) and clean them the old fashion way. If they really bad take then down and clean them on the driveway witha pressure washer. Assuming they are metal ducts.

 

[rlitman]

DIY duct cleaning........**** and Span bucket, mop and sponge. Take the ducts apart ( end caps etc) and clean them the old fashion way. If they really bad take then down and clean them on the driveway witha pressure washer. Assuming they are metal ducts.

From what I've read, duct cleaning is a scam. Dust that settles in ducts has settled for good, and isn't getting into your air. But "cleaning" releases this dust, and you end up filtering that with your lungs.

As for mold, I'd suggest just spraying something on it that kills it, and move on.

 

[dogdog]

Mold tests can fluctuate depending on the day and the environment around you. There are no guidelines for acceptable levels of mold. I see no difference spraying a humidifier through the ductwork and spraying concrobium to kill the mold through it. Too bad the humidification system isn't still in place, I'd try to run the concrobium through it if it were mine. Whats the humidity in your basement? Do you have a humidifier? You need to eliminate the source of water/humidity or any efforts you do to remediate mold will be an exercise in futility as it's surely to return due to the continued moisture.

I am looking at these 10 head ultrasonic mist maker/fogger to run Concrobium and a fan to blow between the walls on an insulated section of the bathroom... just haven't pulled the trigger yet.... also there are UV lamps made for HVAC air ducts... Just saying might be an alternative.


oops links..

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y1VYLCW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Showkey]

From what I've read, duct cleaning is a scam. Dust that settles in ducts has settled for good, and isn't getting into your air. But "cleaning" releases this dust, and you end up filtering that with your lungs.

As for mold, I'd suggest just spraying something on it that kills it, and move on.

I would tend to agree.........that’s why I have done the old fashion cleaning technique of soap and water to make my wife happy. Yes the ducts were dirty and dusty.........you could eat off the duct after the soap and water cleaning.

 

[Stuff]

Six year old mold that hasn't been watered would be dormant spores and not much of an issue. Stir it up incorrectly and you have the entire house to clean.

Basement mold that is moist is active so makes sense to clean up.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Have you looked into just killing the mold with either a UV light unit or the one I recommend a Cold plasma unit from Phenomenal Air. These units go in the duct work after the filter but before the coil and using plasma completely kill and neutralize the mold, also bacteria, viruses,pollen and smells. I put one in each of my air handlers and was shocked the difference just 24 hours of operation made. They wholesale for $400 each and are available from Johnstone Supply. They recommend installation by HVAC contractor but its very easy to install with just a hole saw and a few tools. Google phenomenal air and look at there website 'Topproductinnovations.com.. No parts to replace and no light bulbs for yearly replacement like UV lights.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

LOL. Yeah, Concrobium is good stuff.



Let me take a guess. The report will say that mold was found. Let me give you a hint. The report will ALWAYS say that mold was found.

Especially if the inspector is also the remediation guy...


Tommy

 

[rlitman]

Especially if the inspector is also the remediation guy...


Tommy

Sadly too true. But who's paying attention to the conflict of interest there?

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Sadly too true. But who's paying attention to the conflict of interest there?

I pointed it out multiple times at the last school district I worked for. It fell on deaf ears...

Tommy

 

[Showkey]

Especially if the inspector is also the remediation guy...


Tommy

Sadly too true. But who's paying attention to the conflict of interest there?

Radon testing and remediation solutions seem to have the same problem

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Ozone generator, the kind with warnings about creating lethal conditions. You, your plants, kids, pets, etc will have to spend a day out of the area.

 

[Bad]

I agree. I don't think a humidifier would be capable of growing mold. I would get a second opinion to make sure it is truly mold and not some other issue.

I would want to see the results of the mold test...and that the mold was in fact a problem. It could be damp lint/dust and such.

How old is the house, what is the current relative humidity/temp and so on?

I am doubtful that a humidifier, would put that much moisture in the air and that conditions that far through the system are growing mold.

Same ducts provide heat???...

 

[rlitman]

I agree. I don't think a humidifier would be capable of growing mold. I would get a second opinion to make sure it is truly mold and not some other issue.

There are all sorts of types of humidifiers. Ultrasonic humidifiers can easily promote mold as they create a mist. Steam humidifiers put out hot air that can condense on colder surfaces.

 

[danski0224]

Sadly too true. But who's paying attention to the conflict of interest there?

Like real estate agents and home inspectors?

 

[danski0224]

Hello,

My wife noticed some mold in our basement, and so she called a mold detection guy, and he came and did testing and looked through things today, and said that essentially all of the vent tubes / pipes in the house have mold in them from the previous owner's whole-house humidification system that sprayed water into the system after the blower.

I removed that humidification system, and that was 6 years ago. This mold guy, told us that we should probably replace all of the blower ducts / vents in the whole house. Fortunately they are above a drop ceiling in the basement, and in the attic.

Has anyone else had to replace the vents / tubes in their houses due to mold?

I called my homeowner's insurance and they said "we don't cover mold".

I'm gonna go out on a limb and call BS here.

If the humidification system was spewing out so much moisture that mold started in the HVAC ductwork, then the first question I have is how are you still alive, because the rest of the house should be a living mass of toxins at this point.

The growth in the basement is obviously due to the lack of the vapor barrier, which also raises the humidity level elsewhere, quite quickly. The dust inside of the ductwork would be an ideal breeding ground for growth, given high humidity levels.

Get the humidity levels down below 50%, and your "mold problems" will go away.

You may need a dehumidifier that is rated to operate in a basement at lower temperatures to do the job, if fixing the vapor barrier isn't enough.

 

[ant.foste]

When you're looking for *** and you call a ******, you're going to find ***.

Clean up what's visible with a mild water/bleach solution and a rag. Keep your humidity levels under control. Forget about the rest of it.

 

[Trey T]

what humidifier technology did you have - air pass-thru or steam?

What duct material is it - metal or plastic/flex?