Last week, a news story caught our attention, with a Melbourne woman finding her mouldy air conditioner had a part in creating the chronic health problems she had developed. In short, the woman had moved into a brand-new apartment, then not long after, started developing skin lesions, then fatigue, brain fog and other issues, eventually diagnosed as an auto-immune disease. Mould is a silent and often hidden bio toxin.
After many years of investigations however, a mould expert and microbiologist found the apartment to have extremely high levels of mould where the air conditioner was pumping out. Mould is a bio toxin and can be deadly. This resulted in a new diagnosis of a condition called Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) otherwise known as toxic mould syndrome.
(File photo)
This woman is unfortunately a stark reminder of the reasons we believe a properly cleaned and sanitised air conditioner is so vital.
An air conditioner does not need to be old to grow mould. When in high use and not properly cleaned, it doesn’t take long for mould spores to develop. In this case, the apartment was new (as presumably, was the air conditioner). In a few short years, the mould spores coming from the air conditioner made the apartment virtually uninhabitable.
Although rare, mould related illnesses are reportedly on the rise and they’re tricky to identify. To reduce the chances of your air conditioner contributing to such an illness there’s a few things we recommend you review:
- Does your air conditioner smell musty?
The musty smell is created by the dust, bacteria, mould and mildew spores, leeching out of the air conditioner. This smell gets worse over time and is a sure sign the air coming from your air conditioner isn’t healthy.
- When did you last complete a visual check of your air conditioner?
Generally, people only take notice of their air conditioner when it doesn’t work as it’s supposed to. As part of your housekeeping routine, checking the air conditioner for dust, dirt, mould and mildew helps to prevent ongoing issues, plus, once cleaned, it’ll also help keep it running efficiently.
- Are you often sick?
As with the woman from Melbourne (although often not as severe), ongoing cold-like symptoms or skin irritations could be a sign that your air conditioner is desperate of a clean. Mould growth illnesses can be serious, which is why we recommend a regular, professional HydroKleen clean of your air conditioner. Our team are highly trained specialists, who understand that the health of you and your family is of the utmost importance. This also rings true for your business premises.
Keep your air conditioner free of mould and reduce the risks of mould related illnesses in your home or office. Contact our friendly HydroKleen team today for further information on how we can help you to Breathe Healthy Air.