Alleviate Excess Athens Humidity with HVAC Repair and Maintenance
April Showers Bring May Flowers…and Mold?
It’s the time of year when we plan summer vacations, attend an opening day at the Commerce baseball park and watch the blooms of spring in Flowery Branch. It’s also the time for rain – and lots of it! We tell ourselves to wait it out because April showers really do bring May flowers, while all this rain can truly wreak havoc on the delicate balance of the humidity levels inside our Athens homes. As we await the return of summer, mold and mildew can be quietly disrupting the balance and healthiness of our indoor atmosphere. HVAC repairs can help alleviate and prevent the existence of mold and mildew and eliminate the potential threats to your health and overall comfort.
How humidity creates a problem in the home: Mold and mildew can lead to an array of health problems from annoying to life-threatening. Indoor allergies, although in most cases not life-threatening, can greatly affect one’s quality of life. Overgrowth of mold and mildew can be one of the biggest contributors to indoor allergies. Heavy spring rains creating higher than average humidity as well as unattended HVAC repairs can allow mold spores to spread throughout your home. Basements, bathrooms, laundry rooms and other areas of your home where moisture gathers are the most susceptible to mold growth.
Health issues associated with mold: Exposure to mold can cause many health issues: nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation or, in some cases, skin irritation. If someone living in your home is actually allergic to mold, the reaction can be significantly more severe. Those who suffer from respiratory allergies, as well as those with compromised immune systems, are greatly impacted by the growth of mold in your home.
Ways your HVAC could be contributing to the mold levels: After April showers begin to rain down on us, it’s easier than ever for condensation to form within any HVAC unit, especially when you’re running the air conditioner. The air conditioner removes some moisture from the air, in order to cool it, all the while, condensation can settle into the coils and ducts of your air conditioning unit and invite mold growth. Your HVAC repair or maintenance can address this issue to prevent long-term issues. One option is to install a dehumidifier to control the amount of moisture in your home’s air. Additional products used to reduce or eliminate mold spores and other pollutants are media air cleaners and ultraviolet air purifiers. These products can be game changers in the air quality of those living with respiratory illnesses.
Signs you have mold in your home: Your HVAC technician should alert you to possible signs of mold during routine maintenance calls. You might also pay attention to the following common signs of mold in your home:
- Moldy, musty smells
- Patches of black residue in basement, closets or near your AC unit or
- Unexplained increase in allergy attacks or respiratory symptoms.
The presence of mold and mildew in your home can lead to health problems and even affect the value of your property or make it nearly impossible to sell This spring as things get damper, be sure to keep an out for the signs of mold and stay on top of any necessary HVAC repairs.
Stiles Heating, Cooling, & Plumbing is looking forward to a wonderful summer in Greater Athens, and we’re geared up to fight mold and mildew buildup in your HVAC. You can count on our experienced technicians to help you all year round. If you suspect you have mold and mildew in your home, contact us for recommendations to improve the situation. We’ve got over forty years of experience to put to work for you and your home. Our team specializes in HVAC repair, maintenance and new installations.
Contact Stiles Heating, Cooling, & Plumbing for a Consultation Today!
