Can Mold Grow In Air Ducts? Can It Make You Sick?

6/17/2017 (Permalink)

Can mold grow in your heating and cooling ducts?

Air ducts can hide mold and dust that can make you and your family sick. If you’ve never had your air ducts cleaned, then you may want to have them cleaned. If you are changing the furnace filter often due to the filters getting dirty and clogged, then you will probably want to get the air ducts cleaned professionally. If your ducts have a musty odor smell to them, then you may have mold growth that you will want to get treated right away.

The EPA actually recommends that you check the air ducts prior to the heating season for excessive dust to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning. Another symptom of dirty air ducts is household allergies or unexplained illnesses. In the end, if you have lived in your home for many years, the air ducts have probably accumulated dust and debris over time. The furnace filters will only be able to collect so much of the dust.

Once you have a  professional clean your air ducts, you should follow some simple steps to keep the ducts cleaner over time. You should use the highest efficiency filters to collect the most dust and debris. You should also change the air filters on a regular basis to keep them from getting clogged and inefficient.

If you have construction going on in your home where there is a lot of dust, seal off any return registers near the area to keep the ducts from getting contaminated and dirty. Also, cleaning and vacuuming your home on a regular basis can help keep the dust out of the air and out of your air ducts.

If the air ducts in your home are dirty, smell musty, or are causing allergies in your household, call the mold and cleaning experts at SERVPRO of Indianapolis West at 317-243-3149. At SERVPRO of Indianapolis West, we have specialized equipment, professional training, and certifications that allow us to remediate any mold that may be growing in your air ducts.