Re: Your Car's AC, Allergies, and You

[Guest guest]

There has to be a better solution. What about running the heat after a

rain? TO dry out the ducts.

This foam is probably toxic, and many with mold sensitivites have MCS

too. I can suspect it would leave a residue thru the entire ducting

system and if its a fungicide, it would spew the chemicals into the

car. Not good either.

>

> Your Car's AC, Allergies, and You

> June 18, 2008 -

> WTOP - Washington,DC*

>

> http://www.wtop.com/?sid=1423798 & nid=697

>

> Will it ever stop raining?

> I'm somewhat sure it will, but until it does, it's playing havoc

> with vast numbers of car air conditioners.

>

> Near constant dampness has led to an epidemic of AC mold and mildew.

> Imagine if you never ventilated your shower. It wouldn't be long

> before the walls would be thick with nasty fungus, mold, mildew, and

> methyl-ethyl-yucky-stuff.

>

> Mold and mildew are a common problem in car AC units, but seldom as

> extreme as it is this year. Damp air conditioners provide a

> wonderfully inviting place for mold to thrive. In a normal spring,

> we have days with rain, followed by days of intense heat, which

> dries the air conditioner when the car isn't running. But this year

> there have been scant few consecutive hot, dry days. Hot? Yes.

> Humid? Yes. One or the other seems to be consistently followed by

> more rain.

>

> To deal with normal mold buildup, there are a variety of products,

> which are sprayed into the air inlet of the air conditioning. These

> products do a good job of killing odors and helping to control

> moderate mold growth, but are virtually useless against this year's

> tough stuff.

>

> So how do you deal with these dangerous, difficult to destroy

> growths of contamination in your car's AC system? The answer to that

> is in the form of a new, more aggressive product.

>

> One of the symptoms of AC growth is a musty smell when the AC first

> starts blowing. But there is a lot more than bad smell involved.

> Mold also causes significantly reduced AC performance, which is

> uncomfortable, but far worse is the fact that mold and mildew can

> produce allergic reactions and respiratory illness. If you've

> experienced more than your share of allergy symptoms over the last

> year or two, it might be the result of a mold-contaminated vehicle

> air conditioner.

>

> The fix requires a commercial strength product like Frigi Clean

> injected directly into the vehicle's AC ductwork to make the system

> safe. This is not a do-it-yourself job, it is strictly a

> professional procedure.

>

> The process requires drilling a hole in the AC ducting very near the

> fan. Once the hole is drilled, an adapter is installed which allows

> connection to a container of an extremely potent chemical. This

> allows the chemical to be introduced directly into the AC housing,

> where the fan blows it throughout the AC system. As this is

> happening, a chemical reaction causes the product to expand into

> foam, which literally fills the inside of the AC ducts. Finally, the

> fan is turned off allowing the chemical to sit on, and dissolve, the

> crud, dirt, and mold. As it sits, the chemical reverts back to a

> liquid that washes away the dead mold and dissolved dirt through the

> air conditioner's drain. The entire process takes about an hour.

>

> Other benefits of this procedure are much colder and more efficient

> air conditioning, and a film that clings to internal AC parts and

> duct surfaces to significantly slow mold re-growth. Not all shops

> have the product yet, so you may find it necessary to make a few

> calls, but more efficient air conditioning and healthier air make it

> well worth the effort.

>

[Guest guest]

,

This looks great, but what do you think about the chemicals themselves? Might

they be a problem for sensitive people?

Thanks,

Sam

> Will it ever stop raining?