If you notice black stuff coming out of your AC vents, your first thought might be harmful black mold. But fortunately, you don’t need to panic right away. This substance can be several things, each with its own solution.

Dust

You may have a dust problem within your home. Your air vents intake the air in your home and re-release it, meaning it can often blast out dust. It can be hard to determine if your home was dusty before the air ducts started releasing dust, but if it was, you should be able to identify the source.

You might see an increase in the dust in your home if it’s been dusty outside. Same if you’ve had a lot of dirt come inside or if your Irving home has an unusually high number of occupants (either humans or pets).

Rust

If there’s been moisture and agitation inside your air ducts, there could be rust blowing out of it. This can be caused by an amateur air duct cleaning or pests on a humid day. If you’re stumped, listen for scratching or movement within your ducts.

You can identify rust particles by their more metallic look. You can also look within and see if you notice any deterioration.

Soot

Soot is a common cause of black particles coming out of your air vent. Like dust, if you have soot in the air, it’ll be sucked up by your Irving home’s system and spit back out.

If you’ve been burning candles (especially scented candles), your vents could get sooty. If you have the fireplace lit often, this is another likely cause. Consider if there have been any fires in your neighborhood as well.

Insulation

Insulation backing can sometimes deteriorate and exit the air duct as black particles. Perform a visual inspection of the air ducts and see if the insulation is still intact.

Leaky ducts

If your ducts have any holes, they can begin to blow dust into your Irving home. Your ducts run through many dirty parts of your house, meaning they can start to get pretty dusty if there are any openings.

You’ll know your ducts are leaky if your system isn’t working as effectively. Are there hot and cold parts of your house? Is your AC struggling? Is your energy bill getting higher?

Mold

Black mold is visible as black splotches inside your air vents that grow over time. It can be harmful, so it’s vital to eliminate it right away.

You might have black mold if there’s been humidity or other moisture alongside dust with organic particles to allow it to grow.

How To Deal With It

Some of these black particles are caused by the broader environment instead of the air ducts. They must be dealt with on that level. Dust and soot must be eliminated from the home, or else they’ll keep showing up in your ducts.

Others can be fixed by duct repair. Call a duct repair service in Irving if you have faulty insulation or leaky ducts.

Mold and rust can be cleaned up by an air duct cleaning technician. You can call us for expert Irving air duct cleaning services and make your air safer to breathe. If you suspect mold, you must deal with it as soon as possible, and we know how to help.