Mom makes horrifying discovery in AC unit: ‘I felt physically ill’
With much of the country sweltering through what seems like a hotter-than-usual summer, many Aussie homes have been pumping the AC.
But one mom was horrified to find a nasty surprise when replacing her unit’s filter and hopes you aren’t making the same mistake.
“That’s disgusting”
Sydney mom, Jenna, lives in a west-facing top-floor apartment with her husband and 13-month-old daughter, and while the views are lovely, it means full afternoon sun.
“If we don’t put the AC on in the afternoon, we roast,” she told Kidspot.
After realising her AC wasn’t working as well as it had in the past, she decided to jump up on a chair and investigate.
“When I opened the unit, I felt physically ill.”
The whole inside of the unit was covered in mold spores.
Call in the experts
I took photos and sent them to my husband, who immediately booked a technician to come and replace the filter and clean out the unit.
“We booked someone in for the next day, and I turned off the unit for the rest of the day,” she shared.
Replacing the filter and cleaning took less than 15 minutes and they were left with a clean unit.
“I know mold can be so dangerous, but I don’t know why I never thought to look inside and check for it growing in the AC,” she told Kidspot.
“I feel stupid now not knowing, but I won’t make that mistake again, that’s for sure.”
How bad is bad?
Having a moldy AC can be pretty risky for your health.
When there’s too much moisture in the aircon, it becomes a perfect home for mold.
This means when the air conditioner blows air around the room, it spreads these nasties all around the house.
Breathing in mold spores from a moldy aircon can mess with your respiratory system, causing things like asthma, allergies, and infections.
If your immune system is compromised or you’re young or older, you’re even more at risk.
Mold can also make toxins that are like little poisons, and breathing them in over time can lead to serious health problems.
Not only that, but mold can make your air smell musty and nasty, making your room a not-so-great place to be.
It can also wreck the air conditioner itself, causing damage and making it break down.
TLC for your AC
The key to avoiding all this is to make sure your air conditioner gets some regular TLC.
Clean it up, get rid of any water leaks, and keep an eye on things.
Aim for cleaning your air conditioner at least every three months, especially if you use it a lot.
