Is this black mold (LG 12000btu window unit)?


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Old 07-05-14, 01:48 PM
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Is this black mold (LG 12000btu window unit)?

I have been complaining of " feeling ill" and have been having memory and breathing problems lately.

I have an LG 12000btu window a/c unit that's about 3 years old. I have noticed a strong musty odor (think a locker room mixed with rotting wet leaves).

I notice my health is horrible on the weekends but fine during the work week.

My health improves within 2 or 3 hours of leaving the house (more specifically my bedroom). I apologize if my photo didn't upload, I use my phone to do everything.

This "mold" issue is causing myself (age 26) to drive my parents to nervous breakdowns.


Is this mold look serious in this picture?
 
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Old 07-05-14, 02:12 PM
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I see a picture of the outside case of a window air conditioner. The outside air and the inside air don't mix.

Actually a strange picture as most window units don't have any openings in the top. Usually the air comes in the end and out the sides or just the opposite.
 
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Old 07-05-14, 06:47 PM
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Mold

I noticed that also. However, you didn't completely answer the questions.

Is that black stuff, mold?

If its mold, is this toxic black mold (S. Chartarum)?

How should I clean it?
I noticed that the vent open and close levers don't work well.
 
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Old 07-05-14, 08:10 PM
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The mold that you are referring to does not grow on metal surfaces out in the sun.


Mildew - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Household varieties

The term mildew is often used generically to refer to mold growth, usually with a flat growth habit. Molds can thrive on many organic materials, including clothing, leather, paper, and the ceilings, walls and floors of homes or offices with poor moisture control. There are many species of mold. The black mold which grows in attics, on window sills, and other places where moisture levels are moderate often is Cladosporium. Color alone is not always a reliable indicator of the species of mold. Proper identification should be done by a microbiologist. Mold growth found on cellulose-based substrates or materials where moisture levels are high (90 percent or greater) is often Stachybotrys chartarum and is linked with sick building syndrome.[7] “Black Mold,” also known as “Toxic Black Mold,” properly refers to S. chartarum. This species commonly is found indoors on wet materials containing cellulose, such as wallboard (drywall), jute, wicker, straw baskets, and other paper materials. S. chartarum does not grow on plastic, vinyl, concrete, glass, ceramic tile, or metals. A variety of other mold species, such as Penicillium or Aspergillus, do. In places with stagnant air, such as basements, molds can produce a strong musty odor.
 
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Old 07-05-14, 08:17 PM
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Quite honestly, it looks like dirt to me. To know absolutely you would need to have a laboratory analysis of the substance. Regardless, the INSIDE of the cabinet could very well have a growing culture of some kind of mold.
 
 

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