When I walk in the office I smell a peculiar smell. I own my own office so there's no landlord to take care of it for me.
Is there an inexpensive way I could test to see if mold is the issue here?
2007-02-28 05:31:16 · 12 answers · asked by rhgindc 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
YOU CAN PICK UP A TEST KIT AT A BUILDERS SUPPLY AND TEST YOUR PLACE FOR MOLD.
2007-03-03 17:12:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Standards or Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for airborne concentrations of mold, or mold spores, have not been set. Currently, there are no EPA regulations or standards for airborne mold contaminants.Molds produce tiny spores to reproduce. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture
There is substantial visible mold growth inside hard surface (e.g., sheet metal) ducts or on other components of your heating and cooling system. There are several important points to understand concerning mold detection in heating and cooling systems:
Many sections of your heating and cooling system may not be accessible for a visible inspection, so ask the service provider to show you any mold they say exists.
You should be aware that although a substance may look like mold, a positive determination of whether it is mold or not can be made only by an expert and may require laboratory analysis for final confirmation. For about $50, some microbiology laboratories can tell you whether a sample sent to them on a clear strip of sticky household tape is mold or simply a substance that resembles it.
If you have insulated air ducts and the insulation gets wet or moldy it cannot be effectively cleaned and should be removed and replaced.
If the conditions causing the mold growth in the first place are not corrected, mold growth will recur.
i hope this can be of help for you, be persistant in resolving the matter Good Luck!
2007-03-07 16:15:21 · answer #2 · answered by Maximus M 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Mold is Probably somewhere other than in your AV Ducts. Mold needs moisture The A/C & The heat both removes moisture. Mold can not grow in heat ducts or A\C ducts
It could be in the overflow pan of the A/C-heating system. Check and see if the drain on the overflow pan is stopped up.
2007-03-06 13:11:51 · answer #3 · answered by Laniermar 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have duct work you have mold in some form or another. Check the filter and have the coil cleaned this may help also they make a deodorizer that you can physically place in the return duct to kill the smell, I have never used it but I run into them all the time.
2007-02-28 14:40:19 · answer #4 · answered by H-vaker 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you only smell it in one room, such as your office, it could be a dead mouse and not mold. Try taking the vent cover off and looking in there with a very strong flash light and see if you can see anything that may be causing the problem.
2007-03-07 01:09:26 · answer #5 · answered by llittle mama 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suggest getting an HVAC or Professional duct cleaning company to come out and take a look. They are really the only air quality specialits. Some of these companies have a small camera that can show you what is in your ductwork. Estimates for cleaning are usually free.
2007-02-28 07:12:42 · answer #6 · answered by Saucy 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you have a smaller office the chances are that a residential style furnace and A/C unit services your needs. It is possible that condensation/water is remaining under the a/c coil and mold has set in.
Contact a local HVAC company and have them check the "A" coil for issues.
2007-03-07 05:42:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
mold only grows where there is moisture. unless there is a water lead from a pipe that is trckling down into your ventilation system, i doubt mold is the source of the smell. look for a dead rat or something.
2007-02-28 05:39:52 · answer #8 · answered by BPL 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sorry to say you have to have a ac repair person come in and clean out the vents make sure their is no standing water in the unit this will make legionaries thats from stagnet water and it can kill you so no matter how you look at it get a hvac company in to clean it out if you have a indoor heater ac unit check the coils to see if they are full of dust and if you have filters on the unit change them every 2 weeks not mo. like the pack said to do
2007-03-07 02:06:40 · answer #9 · answered by MrMike 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buy you some air neutralizer and spray that on the intake of the handler for your central heat and air and let it go through the ducks and it will neutralize it.
2007-03-06 23:56:52 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You would have to get a contractor who can take air samples of the air in your ducts and have them analyzed.
2007-03-08 02:12:19 · answer #11 · answered by Joey 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋