Prevent mold, mildew and biological growth in your HVAC system.

Your central air system reaches most every nook and cranny of your house, and because of this, it’s important to prevent mold or biological growth inside the system so you don’t end up spreading spores throughout your home. Below you’ll find some maintenance tips that will help prevent mold and mildew in your HVAC system:

• Clean out the condensate drain line: This line is connected to an exterior location, and used to transport excess water away from your central air system. Over time, yard refuse and other contaminants can clog this line, causing a backup, and leading to a mold/mildew-growing environment. This line should be emptied at the end of each season to prevent the remaining water from creating mold in the stagnant water.
• Clean your drip pan: With summertime humidity it’s only natural that your HVAC system will create moisture as a byproduct. In order to collect this byproduct, a drip pan is installed inside your air handling unit or cooling coil. Checking and cleaning this drip pan regularly with a disinfectant/biocide is important to prevent mold or biological growth in your HVAC system.
• Schedule maintenance: Many homeowners can easily take care of the condensate line and drip pan, but there are other internal parts may be contributing to mold or biological growth within the HVAC system. For example, the evaporator coil, which absorbs heat, can be a breeding ground for mold and mildew. During a scheduled maintenance, your HVAC technician will come with special tools and thoroughly clean your evaporator coil and other internal parts.

Preventing moisture buildup in your HVAC will go a long way in helping prevent mold and biological growth inside your system. Additionally, controlling humidity levels throughout your home, will help create a home environment where it is difficult for these spores to grow.