RE: detecting and cleaning mold in ductwork

November 18, 2003

Can anyone tell me the proper procedures for detecting and cleaning mold in

ductwork? Maybe some of the group professionals can help me out here.

Also, is it possible for mold to be in ductwork and not cause as many or as

severe symptoms in the summer months comparatively to the winter months? I

would think that if it was there that with the a/c coming through the same

ducts as the heat that it would cause occupants to react the same whether

summer or winter. Can that vary? Respiratory symptoms with my son (who's

most affected) have increased drastically since turning on the heat, and it

has me concerned. In case it matters, our heat is gas heat.

Can anyone provide any insight into this?

Beverly Weikert

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November 19, 2003

Beverly;

Your best bet is to have the ducts cleaned by a professional (after you find the real source of mold). Detection can be either by air sampling, surface sampling of the vent, or video recording inside the duct. What they do to remediate is block off a section of about 8-10 feet and use a compressor with a special hose (with brushes and spray nozzles) inserted in the middle of that 8-10 foot section, that cleans the inside of the duct with a hospital grade antibacterial and antifungal agent (possibly toxic, don't be there when they clean).

Consider looking for mold in other areas that just the ducts, more than likely the mold doesn't start in the ducts, it is possibly sucked in from the attic or a wall with plumbing inside and blown through the ducts. When you clean the ducts you are only seeing the effects of the mold, not the cause.

When you use the furnace versus the refrigerated air you have different paths that the air has to go through. Have an HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) expert explain the different ducts and return air sources to you, you might find the culprit there.

The difference you are feeling between summer and winter is most likely from the sporing characteristics of the mold you are dealing with. Different humidity and temperatures cause the mold to either thrive or begin to die off. When the mold is dying off it releases spores.

I hope this helps.

Brad

-----Original Message-----From: Beverly Weikert [mailto:weik004@...]Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 12:56 PM Subject: [] RE: detecting and cleaning mold in ductworkCan anyone tell me the proper procedures for detecting and cleaning mold in ductwork? Maybe some of the group professionals can help me out here.Also, is it possible for mold to be in ductwork and not cause as many or as severe symptoms in the summer months comparatively to the winter months? I would think that if it was there that with the a/c coming through the same ducts as the heat that it would cause occupants to react the same whether summer or winter. Can that vary? Respiratory symptoms with my son (who's most affected) have increased drastically since turning on the heat, and it has me concerned. In case it matters, our heat is gas heat.Can anyone provide any insight into this?Beverly Weikert_________________________________________________________________MSN Messenger with backgrounds, emoticons and more. http://www.msnmessenger-download.com/tracking/cdp_customizeFAIR USE NOTICE:This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

November 20, 2003

Beverly,

There is no reason ducts should be worse in heating season than in cooling

season. It is often just the opposite, with mold growing in air conditioner

drain pans, even on the coils, due to all the moisture condensing there. The

big exception is when there is a humidifier. If your furnace has a

humidifier, turn off its water supply and your problems may go away within a

day.

A big concern with cleaning is what type ducts you have. Sheet metal ducts

can generally be satisfactorily cleaned, provided there is adequate access

and no sharp angles the cleaning equipment cannot get around. However, many

homes built in the 1980's and later have ducts made from fiberglass

ductboard or flexible ductwork- coiled wire packed with fiberglass

insulation, coated inside and out with plastic liner- polyethylene or

polyethylene terephthalate. There is great potential to make the situation

worse by cleaning these, tearing open the liner on the flexible ducts, and

scratching up the surface and exposing more fibrous materials on the

fiberglass ductboard.

Last, the drain line on the air conditioner may have a vapor trap, like

the P-trap on the drain under a sink. When cooling season ends and heating

starts, this may dry out. If there is mold below the trap, it may be sucked

into the ducts. A little bleach poured through the drain line should

alleviate this problem.

Gil

Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2003 14:56:14 -0500

From: " Beverly Weikert " <weik004@...>

Subject: RE: detecting and cleaning mold in ductwork