Summer is Still a Time for Mold: HVAC Condensation
In this video, Ben Fetzer will discuss the most common summertime cause of mold, HVAC condensation. Also, he speaks about plugged condensation lines. In addition, to plugged lines, we see a common occurrence of mold on drywall surrounding the HVAC lines due to condensation within the vents. This is a common problem during the summer months, especially here in Kansas City where we have high temps and high humidity during the summer. HVAC condensation can wreak havoc on drywall and create a major mold problem in a short amount of time!
Video Transcription of Summertime Mold: HVAC Condensation Lines
Hopefully, I am live! This has Ben Fetzer with Fresh Start Restoration. I just wanted to do a quick video with a couple of tips for you. So this has to do with one of these sources of mold in the summertime. Something that probably most of us aren’t thinking a lot about as a potential source for mold, but it’s your HVAC system’s condensation line. So what happens is, in the summer, the heat obviously forces us to run our HVAC systems or air conditioners pretty hard. They’re running a lot, quite a few hours per day. And what happens is that line, whether it’s a flexible hose, those are usually clear. You can see through them or a solid PVC, little small, like one-inch hose a those can become plugged with little pieces of debris or calcium deposits that buildup, etc.
Plugged Line Results in Water Damage
Anyway, when they plug up, they back the water up, it starts to run out the side of the HVAC system. Usually floods the floor, may or may not run down the drain depending on how the slope of the floor is put in. But oftentimes the water will spread enough to start to affect things in that closet, whether it’d be boxes on the floor, or other organic material that’s on the floor, or even drywall and some wall material.
Depending on the way the closet is configured around the HVAC system. So, uh, it does small amounts of damage. Usually, people don’t think about it. It happens for several weeks. Then they go down to do something in that closet, realize floor’s wet, maybe the carpet’s wet. Something tells them they’ve had water. And so then they start to investigate and they see what mold on the bottom of the boxes mold on some of the drywall potentially. And they have a problem.
Routine Inspections
So my advice is to start by, it’s inspecting it yourself. You can replace those little hoses pretty easily, go to a big box store and just get the right size hose. And just replace that old nasty one. It does get gross after a few years and you know that the hose at least isn’t plugged up. You can also call a good, competent HVAC company and just have the service done to the unit that’s good to have done every year or so, maybe, even more, an anyways. And while they’re doing a service of the unit, they can check the lines and make sure that they aren’t going to be plugging up on you this summer. So I’m just a couple of tips to try and avoid mold needing to be dealt with because of condensation lines getting plugged.
If you have any mold that you do end up finding MoldKansasCity.com or Fresh Start Restoration. We’d be glad to help deal with whatever you’re dealing with, provide solutions, and get it done in a timely fashion. Have a great week! Ben Fetzer with Fresh Start. Thanks!