Experts have warned that the ongoing hot wave and severe drought in Arizona, California, and Nevada has increased the likeliness of toxic mold growth inside air-conditioners, swamp coolers and central air conditioning systems.
According to Phillip Fry, who is an Environmental and Industrial Hygienist, “Such cooling equipment is often a big mold factory because of the high moisture content inside units, in conjunction with a continual supply of mold growth sustaining food in the form of organic dust plus always taking in airborne mold spores from any mold growth problem that exists elsewhere in the house, rental apartment, workplace, or commercial building.”
These high temperature and drought conditions in areas like Mesa, Tucson, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Arizona-wide, Las Vegas, and southern California have increased the operational time of air-conditioners, swamp coolers and central air conditioning systems, thus favouring the growth of toxic mold, especially Valley Fever mold.
“People incorrectly think that deserts are low mold-growth areas, but in actuality, the hot desert areas are the growing habitat for the deadly Valley Fever mold spores that are carried by the wind into urban areas in all three states. Valley Fever has killed or disabled thousands of residents in Arizona, California, and Nevada in the past several years,” says Fry.
He has advised the residents to seek professional help for mold inspection in their house, while especially paying attention to these areas.