Keeping Mold Out Of The Drain Pain Of Your A/C

Mold plays a key role in nature, and its spores can be found almost everywhere, including the drain pan of the air conditioner in your greater Orlando-area home.

What facilitates growth is a key set of elements, including spores, food, temperature and moisture. Once inside your home mold can cause health problems in those with asthma, allergies or weakened immune systems, and can be hard to get rid of.

Since your air conditioner produces and cycles a great deal of water, the majority of which flows through the drain pan, it’s a prime candidate for mold growth.

Here are some tips to help keep mold out of the drain pan, and your home:

• Change out your filter. Your home’s supply of air first passes through the unit’s air filter before being conditioned and redistributed. A clean filter can trap particles such as mold spores and dust, but a dirty filter cannot. Air coming through is merely blown across the filter and scattered throughout the A/C, free to make its way to the pan. Replace your filter every four to six weeks during peak cooling season.
• Clean house. Your ductwork is a supply line to your air conditioner, which means the cleaner the ducts, the cleaner the air supply. Prevent dirty ducts by dusting and vacuuming your home often; use a microfiber or electrostatic cloth to trap dust. If it’s been awhile since you’ve had your ducts cleaned give us a call to schedule an appointment.
• Be observant. Keep an eye on your drain pan for early detection of any standing water. If you find an excessive amount, turn off the unit and clean, dry and disinfect the pan. Then,  call a technician to service the unit .
• Schedule annual maintenance.  A clogged drain line can cause water to accumulate in the pan. Regular maintenance including an inspection and cleaning of the unit can help prevent this problem, as well as many other issues.

For 42 years, Rinaldi’s Air Conditioning has been looking after the needs of greater Orlando residents. For more tips on how to keep mold out of your air conditioner’s drain pan, give us a call today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about mold and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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