Ugh—mold. Surely, it’s interesting to scientists, but probably even the most enthusiastic mold scientist is never happy to find it lurking in their own home! Whether it’s in a damp corner of your bathroom or on leftovers at the back of your fridge, mold is not a welcome guest. And yet it visits so often! What can you possibly do about it?
When you think of indoor air quality, perhaps you imagine reducing the dust, pet hair, or pollen you breathe. Maybe you’re concerned about contaminants like the particles from wildfire smoke. But did you know that cleaner air can deal with that mold problem once and for all? Here’s how an air purifier can clean more than just your air.
Spores
Mold may seem like it comes from nowhere, spontaneously generating from nothing more than a little wetness being allowed to sit for a little too long. (And in our humid climate, there’s always a little wetness!) But that’s not the case. Mold is a fungus, part of the same group of organisms that includes yeasts and mushrooms, and they reproduce using spores.
Spores function like the seeds of a plant, allowing a stationary organism to spread, having offspring that grow in other places. Like dandelion seeds on bits of fluff blowing in the breeze, the spores released by existing mold colonies float in the air. When they land, if there’s moisture, they begin to grow. Eventually, they’ll create a whole new mold colony in the new location!
Your Home Environment
Mold is unsightly, and even when you scrub it away, it can be difficult or impossible to remove the dark stains it leaves behind. It also causes that musty, mildew odor that makes a home seem old and dingy. It’s so unpleasant that the professionals who are trained in removing and eliminating it keep quite busy—and homeowners often spend thousands of dollars on mold remediation.
Respiratory Health
Mold spores are a common allergen. For a lot of people, they cause or worsen respiratory symptoms and eye, nose, throat, lung, and even skin problems. Remarkably, some molds produce such powerful substances (called mycotoxins) that they can make anyone and everyone sick, not just people with allergies!
This goes beyond allergy or respiratory symptoms. Mycotoxicity can lead to headaches, exhaustion, foggy brain, nausea and vomiting, aching muscles and joints, and even harm to the immune system! It’s simply not worth the risk, so if you have mold in your home, you need to get rid of it.
UV Air Purifiers
Since the mold can only reproduce by sending its spores through the air, the best long-term solution to mold doesn’t involve scrubbing it with bleach over and over. No, you just need to get those spores out of the air! A UV air purifier does more than filter your air. It sanitizes by killing tiny organisms like bacteria and—yes—mold spores.
Whole house UV air purifiers in Swartz, LA can be professionally installed with ease, and in addition to dealing with mold, they reduce risk of other illnesses, improve moods and energy levels, help people sleep better, and eliminate odors around the house like cat box or sweat socks. You won’t believe how lovely your home could be!
Contact Mike Smith Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC. We provide “Professional grade service.”