Need help finding something?

Mold in Your Home

Many homes in the Houston area are affected by mold problems. People spend a lot of time and money trying to eliminate the problem. Some allergy patients take medication to help their condition while living in a sick environment.

So what's the answer? Better ventilation? Better filtration? Larger air conditioning systems? Moving to Arizona?

The answer is to eliminate or reduce the source of the mold. Any of the following can cause mold:

  1. Oversized or undersized air conditioning system components.
  2. Improper air balance.
  3. A non-expansion valve cooling coil.
  4. Unbalanced refrigerant charge in the cooling system.
  5. Inefficient condenser outside or cooling coil inside unable to reject or absorb the heat.
  6. Air ducts leaking in the attic.
  7. Poor insulation.
  8. Improper operation of the thermostat.
  9. Improper duct design, return air, inadequate filtration, or materials used in the installation.
  10. A combination of any of the above or in some cases, unique items not mentioned above.

The fact is, if you're A/C system is removing the maximum amount of humidity, mold will rarely appear in your home. If you do not have an expansion valve coil, demand one the next time you purchase an air conditioning system. If the contractor won't give you an expansion valve coil, call someone else. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. An expansion valve coil, properly sized, will have a higher humidity removal rate than any other refrigerant metering device. When an expansion valve in installed, a sight glass in the small liquid line will provide a means of checking you refrigerant level very easily. If all of your components in your air conditioning system are installed and maintained in a proper manner, humidity and mold will rarely be a problem.

In spite of these statements, many of the systems in Houston do not have expansion valves. Why? It's very simple. Most people do not know the difference. Contractors install what they can for the lowest price possible. People do not search out the best because they don't know there is a difference.


Click here to return to the library...