How to Live Healthy and Mold Free in Small Tight Homes
Make sure there is adequate ventilation., Exhaust all high concentration of moisture at the source., Vacuum and wipe down the room regularly to keep the level of dust particles in check., Clean the air conditioner regularly to prevent biofilm from...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make sure there is adequate ventilation.
In a small living space in harsh weather conditions, this may not be as easy as it sounds.
Often, to keep the weather conditions from the room, proper mechanical sealing and insulation of the doors and windows are done to keep the room from the extreme heat or cold outside.
This often in itself becomes the source of the problem.
If a small room too tightly sealed, ventilation is stifled.
Remove or reduce weather seals to allow for the right amount of air inlet into the space.
As weather permits, regularly open windows and doors to allow full circulation to channel fresh outside air right through the room. -
Step 2: Exhaust all high concentration of moisture at the source.
This means a ducted cooker hood and exhaust fan for the shower.
These exhaust systems need to be checked for CFM airflow rate to make sure that they are working properly.
If the room is too well sealed, these ventilators will not work properly.
See tips below on how to do that. , Most of these dust particles are skin flakes and linen fiber.
Frequently wash bed sheets and linens to minimize fibers and skin flakes build up.
In clean room operations in wafer labs for IC making, skin flakes have been identified as the number one culprit to particle contamination.
It is by far the largest source of particle generation. , Biofilm is formed from the dead skin flakes from the human body.
Because there is a layer of oil on our skin, these skin flakes will stick onto any surface they come into contact with, especially the path of the airflow in a ductless air conditioner, i.e. the cooling fins and the rotor blades.
Bacteria colonies will form on these skin layers producing a bio-slime which in turns binds more tightly on the surfaces they adhere to.
As the biofilm get thicker and covers more surface of the cooling coil and fins, they lose their hydrophilic properties preventing the condensate from draining off.
This in turn reduces the air conditioner's ability to dehumidify the room especially from moisture sources like hot showers.
At the same time, the skin flakes also become a food source for mold as well.
Once mold take root in the air conditioner, it can spread spore all over the room; on the ceiling, under the mattress, on the walls.
Practically, you could see mold growing where the air is the most stagnant.
By cleaning the air conditioner, just plain vacuuming or brushing is not sufficient.
Some type of chemical solution cleaning system is absolutely necessary to keep the ac unit clean and fully operational.
See LifeGuide Hub related article for instructions on "How To Clean Split Air Conditioners" safely and effectively especially in a small tight space where you may not have much room to things about for the cleaning process. , This could mean it is less likely that adequate ventilation will be practiced to avoid wasting conditioned (cooled or warmed) air. -
Step 3: Vacuum and wipe down the room regularly to keep the level of dust particles in check.
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Step 4: Clean the air conditioner regularly to prevent biofilm from forming in the fins.
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Step 5: Avoid leaving the air conditioner turned on all the time.
Detailed Guide
In a small living space in harsh weather conditions, this may not be as easy as it sounds.
Often, to keep the weather conditions from the room, proper mechanical sealing and insulation of the doors and windows are done to keep the room from the extreme heat or cold outside.
This often in itself becomes the source of the problem.
If a small room too tightly sealed, ventilation is stifled.
Remove or reduce weather seals to allow for the right amount of air inlet into the space.
As weather permits, regularly open windows and doors to allow full circulation to channel fresh outside air right through the room.
This means a ducted cooker hood and exhaust fan for the shower.
These exhaust systems need to be checked for CFM airflow rate to make sure that they are working properly.
If the room is too well sealed, these ventilators will not work properly.
See tips below on how to do that. , Most of these dust particles are skin flakes and linen fiber.
Frequently wash bed sheets and linens to minimize fibers and skin flakes build up.
In clean room operations in wafer labs for IC making, skin flakes have been identified as the number one culprit to particle contamination.
It is by far the largest source of particle generation. , Biofilm is formed from the dead skin flakes from the human body.
Because there is a layer of oil on our skin, these skin flakes will stick onto any surface they come into contact with, especially the path of the airflow in a ductless air conditioner, i.e. the cooling fins and the rotor blades.
Bacteria colonies will form on these skin layers producing a bio-slime which in turns binds more tightly on the surfaces they adhere to.
As the biofilm get thicker and covers more surface of the cooling coil and fins, they lose their hydrophilic properties preventing the condensate from draining off.
This in turn reduces the air conditioner's ability to dehumidify the room especially from moisture sources like hot showers.
At the same time, the skin flakes also become a food source for mold as well.
Once mold take root in the air conditioner, it can spread spore all over the room; on the ceiling, under the mattress, on the walls.
Practically, you could see mold growing where the air is the most stagnant.
By cleaning the air conditioner, just plain vacuuming or brushing is not sufficient.
Some type of chemical solution cleaning system is absolutely necessary to keep the ac unit clean and fully operational.
See LifeGuide Hub related article for instructions on "How To Clean Split Air Conditioners" safely and effectively especially in a small tight space where you may not have much room to things about for the cleaning process. , This could mean it is less likely that adequate ventilation will be practiced to avoid wasting conditioned (cooled or warmed) air.
About the Author
Charlotte Reyes
Specializes in breaking down complex crafts topics into simple steps.
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