My AC was in my basement that flooded. There was mold down there can I still use the AC?
Question:I bought an Air Conditioner last year. It was being stored in my finished basement. My basment flooded and there was mold everywhere. We had to completley redo the basment. I am wondering what steps I should take to clean the AC so that I can safely use it without worrying about spores of mold floating through out my house. Can I clean it with bleach or should I just suffer through the summer with fans?
Answers:
If mold was in the area around the AC, you need to have it proffesionally drained and refilled, and cleaned. It is harmful to have mold circulating through the unit and into the air, but even more harmful to your health to use it with bleach in it. There is water in any AC unit, so mold will continue to grow, and bleach in the unit is extremely dangerous. Any appliance repair shop should be able to have this done for you, and some will do it fairly cheap.
Sorry about your basement! Especially because it was finished, that is just aweful!
Good Luck!
I wouldn't recommend it. Mold is air born and it can get in your lungs and make you sick.
Clean it with bleach, but I would not feel comfortable using it anymore
No, your A/C is not in your basement. Are you talking about a dehumidifier? Are you talking about your furnance? An A/C compressor is always located outside of the home. Generally, if you cannot remove the mold from anything then it should be disposed of. Whatever it is, an A/C unit or dehumidifier, they are metal units that should be able to be cleaned since they do not have surfaces that promote the growth of mold or mildew. Use a bleach/water solution and apply with a spray bottle. After it works for a moment rinse with clean water and then wipe dry. Repeat as necessary.
I would run white vinegar through it all. the lines and everything. it will kill the mold and it will break up any hard water deposits also, clean what ever you can by hand with white vinegar and water.. it will kill the mold. but after that you should have no problems with the spores.
There is only one hard and fast answer for this and that is there is not hard and fast answer for this. The truth is you don know what can be created from a flooding. One major thing to do is get a professional that does flood rehab. The big concern is stachybotrys. That is the famed "black mold" that spells real bad news for you and your family. The furnace being flooded out aside, i would look into the long term effects from the flood. I would replace the furnace because it maybe more trouble than its worth if you keep it.
Here is a website so you can learn about stachybotrys:
http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/fa...
use the bleach and some good water pressure. Let it dry and your good to go!
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