Mould loves air conditioning systems – especially in Brisbane.

The air in your home or business isn’t purified. It carries bacteria, debris and more, which get sucked into your air conditioning system.

Luckily for you, these contaminants get caught in your filter system.

However over time, these filters clog up, creating an all-you-can-eat buffet for mould.

Brisbane then brings in the temperature and humidity needed to facilitate mould growth.

It’s not just air conditioning in Brisbane either.

If you read our articles about how ducted and split system air conditioners work, you’ll know most air conditioners use evaporated refrigerants to cool down air.

This creates an extremely humid environment in your air conditioning system.

No matter what part of the country you live in, banishing mouldy air conditioning should be on your radar this summer!

Should I be worried? The effects of mould in your air conditioning system

Your air conditioning system blows air throughout your house.

And if said air conditioning system is suffering from a mould infestation, that means mouldy air is being pumped into your house or business.

This comes with a whole range of less-desirable side-effects. Here are two of the most significant ones.

Health problems

We spend around 16 hours of the typical day at home and about 8 at work.

If either of those environments are afflicted with mouldy air, you could end up with:

Reduced lung function
Inflammation of your airways
Nasal congestion
Coughing fits
Lung infections

On top of that, people who live in damp and mouldy homes are also believed to be at a higher risk of depression and all the negative side-effects associated with that.

And children and seniors are even more susceptible!

Less effective cooling

It’s not just your health that suffers with a mouldy air conditioner – so too does your comfort!

In many instances, mould build-up can cause blockages in your air conditioning.

In particular, in the air conditioning drains which your system uses to evacuate condensation and moisture.

Blockages in these drains can lead to inconvenient breakdowns when you need your air conditioning the most.

On top of that, it also affects the amount of cool air that gets pumped back into your home.

Just imagine sweltering through a Brisbane summer with ineffective and poor quality cooling – no thanks!

Know the signs: identifying mould in your air conditioning system

Diagnosing mouldy air conditioners is hard. You’re not Superman – you don’t have X-ray vision to see inside your air conditioning system.

Unfortunately, this gives mould plenty of time to to spread!

Usually the first time most people notice mould is when it hits their noses. Mould has a uniquely musty smell.

And by the time you can smell it, chances are mould levels in your air conditioner has reached high levels.

Another common sign is when you start presenting with some of the common symptoms of mould-related illnesses (see above).

Fixing and preventing mould growth in your air conditioner

When it comes to cleaning out mould growth, you can’t go DIY – you need backup from a professional.

Simply put, it’s because modern split and ducted air conditioning systems come with a complex system of ducting, pipes and drains. These ducts, tubes and pipes snake and wind, creating a labyrinth.

And without the knowledge and experience of a professional air conditioning technician, it’s easy for DIY cleaning efforts to leave things even worse than before!

Using the right tools, training and experience, your air conditioning expert gets to the heart of your air conditioner. They’ll inspect all the hotspots for mould and clean them out for you.

Modern air conditioners are complex devices, and there’s no shame in getting a little bit of help!