The first point to remember about mold and air conditioning is that: “Your air conditioning unit is the perfect environment to grow mold and algae.” Microbial growth is very common in your drain pan. It is a wet and humid area.

I can check my unit every month and will find a slime mold growing in the drain pan. Some people put an antimicrobial tablet in the pan to help keep the levels down, but it is only partially affective. Some of the microbial growth is not affected by this process. Remember, mold and algae love to live in your air conditioning system because of the amount of water always present in the drain pan.

I know, you ask; “How can I stop this?” The answer is: “Turning off the air conditioning is the only solution.” Actually, this is impossible due to where some people live. Hot and humid climates like Florida make it impossible, especially in the summer months.

Some air conditioning contractors will recommend that you get a UV light, but remember, they are only partially successful. Also, there are some people who are allergic to the low levels of ozone that UV lights generate. I have several clients who are unable to use UV lights due to this issue. Another drawback that we recently discovered is that they tend to cause plastic drain pans to deteriorate and crack. This is what I call a Catch-22 from a solution causing another problem.

The best solution is a high quality pleated filter to help prevent the build-up of organic material in the first place. Remember that mold and algae need a food source such as organic material. Keeping the A / C system clean is your best solution. Proper maintenance is the key to keeping your air conditioning system clean. Also, not all air conditioning contractors are created equal, some have extensive knowledge of indoor air quality, others have limited knowledge of indoor air quality.