Mold is considered one of the most dangerous microorganisms in your home. This comprises multicellular fungal filaments that cause various types of extensive property damage and food spoilage. Moreover, it is responsible for a flare-up of allergic respiratory and skin conditions in individuals at risk. Unfortunately, unlike other elements that might plague your interiors, mold is not as easy to get rid of.
The spores of this fungus will easily rise and stick in virtually all areas and mostly inside your air conditioning unit. Air duct and dryer vent cleaning in Minneapolis or any other state are, therefore, essential to get rid of the mold in your property. Wiping with a damp cloth and spraying a fungicide or biocide is ineffective and even more dangerous. Media blasting is the best option for the cleaning of air ducts and other HVAC components in interiors with mold infestation.
Here are the media blasting techniques used in this case:
Water Blasting
This, for a long time, was the leading choice for cleaning air ducts in infested properties. It is ineffective for getting rid of the mold spores that adhered to the surfaces of HVAC components. Moreover, it does not guarantee as clean a surface as other methods of media blasting and might cause the corrosion of your unit’s metallic components. Most companies that use water blasting combine it with manual scrubbing and the drying of the HVAC unit to boost its efficacy and safety.
Grit and Sandblasting
This is an aggressive cleaning technique generally used for getting rid of mold spores on rusty or coated surfaces. Grit and sand are initially used to disturb the spores and break them into small particles. After this, a HEPA filter picks the broken mold spores and keep them from contaminating other areas. Grit and sandblasting are used carefully on metal air ducts since they can damage them. The technique is costly since it includes the costs of collecting and deposing the secondary waste generated by the cleaning process.
Soda Blasting
This is currently the leading option for cleaning mold-infested surfaces since it causes minimal damage to the area being cleaned. The technique uses sodium bicarbonate that is softer than other blasting media for mold removal. Unfortunately, soda blasting leaves considerable amounts of fine dust and secondary waste that should be recovered and removed. This adds to the time needed to complete the clean and, consequently, its costs.
Dry Ice Blasting
Here, soft recycled carbon dioxide pellets are accelerated onto an infested surface at high speeds. This generates mini-explosions that will lift the mold off the surface. Dry ice blasting is a non-toxic technique of removing mold spores since it eliminates the exposure to chemicals. It also leaves no secondary waste and takes less time and effort to get rid of spores compared to other alternatives.
DIY mold removal measures
Many DIY procedures may only cause the spores to multiply and infect every inch of your property. Hiring a mold remediation company that can handle air duct cleaning using one of the above techniques is ideal. This will save your property from condemnation and guarantee the safety of its occupants.