Have you noticed that there's a musty smell in the air when you run your air conditioner? Is there black dust around the vents? Unfortunately, those are signs that mold has made its way into your ducts. Mold can be dangerous to your health, especially if you or any of your family members have compromised immune systems or asthma. You can't let it stay there any longer, but you shouldn't try to get rid of it yourself. Instead, take these first steps.

Stop Running the Air Conditioner

This is the first order of business: stopping the air conditioner from possibly spreading any more mold around your place. Turn it off and figure out some alternatives to cooling your home. You might have to rely on fans—properly dusted off, of course—or other methods. Otherwise, you might be putting yourself and your family in danger, even if it's cooling you off some.

If you have elderly family members, then you might want to take them to a cooling center like a library while your air conditioner is being worked on. The same goes for young children. Both of them have trouble handling excess heat, which can be extra dangerous for them. If you want them to be safe, then you should go ahead and do this.

Look at the Ductwork

Before you call in a professional, you should know what kind of material your ductwork is made of. You might have learned this if you were there when the system was installed, but that might not be the case if you inherited it when you moved in. There are several different types, including fiberglass, flex duct, and metal sheet.

Hire a Professional

As mentioned, you're going to need to hire a professional to get mold out of the ducts. This isn't a job for a general contractor, either. You need a specialist from duct cleaning services, which, according to This Old House, can cost up to $6,000. It's important, though, since you need to protect the health of yourself and your family.

Ensure You Have the Right Size AC

There are several ways to prevent this from happening. You can make sure that your unit isn't too large for the room that it's in. You might have a cooler room, but it's not going to be able to keep humidity out, and mold loves humidity. The same goes for running it at too low a temperature setting. Parts of the AC won't be able to get dry, and mold will grow there. You should talk with AC installation specialists about what the proper size and setting for each room would be to keep your chances of getting mold at a minimum.

Be Proactive

It's important that you move quickly when it comes to having mold in your air conditioning ducts. It can be constantly blowing out spores, which can find their way into everything from your bathroom to your breathing passages. While not fatal for many, it can still make life aggravating for people and also leave unsightly blemishes on your walls and other parts of your home. You need to have it taken care of early to avoid escalating issues! Consider having extra mold remediation work done after the fact to ensure your property is safe.

Be proactive from the very first whiff of the musty air coming out of your air conditioner. It's better to be safe than sorry in this situation. By doing this, you're improving your chances of having caught it relatively early. Then you can have someone come clean the ducts and help you both be cool from the heat and breathe easier at home. That will make it well worth it.

Having a professional get rid of the mold is only half the battle. It's important that you then take steps to keep it from happening again. Check the settings of your air conditioner and have it regularly maintained and inspected. That way, you'll be on top of things. Are you looking for duct cleaning services in your area? At The Best Air Quality & Restoration, we do air duct cleanings, along with other services like mold remediation and water damage mitigation. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.