If your home contains a central heating or cooling system, mold may be a particularly insidious threat. Central HVAC systems – including furnaces – use a powerful fan to circulate conditioned air through ductwork to every room in your home. If your furnace is contaminated with mold, those spores may catch a ride with heated or conditioned air.
Because mold can endanger the health of home occupants and damage the structure of your home itself, it’s vitally important to eliminate mold at its source by employing some air purifying techniques.
A better air filter. If your furnace is equipped with a cheap, flat-panel fiberglass filter, it will do very little to remove tiny mold spores from the air. You need a filter that’s rated for removing smaller particles. The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating can help you select the right filter for mold removal. Look for a pleated filter in the MERV 8-12 range, though be aware that MERV numbers higher than 12 may impede airflow in your HVAC system.
Ultraviolet light. An ultraviolet (UV) light system installed in your ductwork can shine germicidal light directly on airborne contaminants moving through your ducts, including mold spores, bacteria and viruses. UV light systems also can be used to kill organic particulates that collect on the inside coil and condensate pan of A/Cs and heat pumps.
Dehumidification. A muggy indoor environment can provide a welcoming home for mold growth. Removing moisture can reduce damaging and unhealthy mold growth. A whole-house dehumidifier – usually attached to your HVAC system – can work to reduce humidity throughout your home.
However, if your mold concerns are limited to certain rooms or areas, a portable dehumidifier should do the trick. This mold-fighting strategy will likely be more appropriate during the summertime when your A/C is using your furnace blower as its air handler.
For more information on reducing or eliminating mold in your Twin Cities home, please contact Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about removing mold and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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