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Housing Operations, Environmental Health & Safety and University Facilities would like to take a moment and address concerns that have been expressed by students and parents across a variety of social media platforms about mold in some of our residence halls. This message is specific to rooms with window air-conditioners.

Please know that anytime concerns are expressed they are checked. If mold is found a remediation plan occurs. We have had very few issues where actual mold has occurred in the halls and this year the concerns expressed about window air-condition units have been dust.

Below we will talk about our maintenance of the window air-conditioning units, what students can do to prevent mold in their room, and advice on how to deal with seasonal allergies, colds, and upper respiratory issues along with their causes.

Air Conditioning Units

• Photo 1: This is the outside of a typical AC unit in your building.
• Photo 2: This is the AC unit with the cover removed. NOTE: Students, please do not remove covers of your ac unit as you could be exposed to injury from rotating parts and electrical components.
• Photo 3: The AC unit has two filters which include a carbon filter which is black and a mesh screen that goes behind the carbon filter. If you see a light gray fuzz, or thicker clumps of gray fuzz on the carbon filter that is dust. That means the filters are doing their job and removing dust from the air. We replace those carbon filters 4 times a year and wipe and inspect the AC unit as needed.
• Photo 4: This is the area where cold air is blown into your room. Please note the interior Styrofoam insulation material appears spotted, this is normal.

Problems with these units are very rare and the filtering system is working well.

Tips from our Experts – Environmental Health & Safety

Molds are a natural part of the environment and exists everywhere. Molds produce tiny spores which continually waft through the air, both outdoors and indoors. We breathe in these spores every day. Usually, these exposures do not present a health risk but some individuals, particularly those with allergies and asthma, can experience some adverse effects. There is no practical way to eliminate mold spores indoors but the key to preventing mold growth is by controlling moisture. There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.

Obvious sources of moisture are water intrusion issues related to roof leaks and flooding associated with ruptured pipes, etc. It is critical to respond to these events immediately to eliminate the moisture and dry out building material to prevent the growth of mold. These type of issues should be reported immediately to University Housing.

The more challenging moisture issue in eastern North Carolina is humidity. If the relative humidity stays above 70% indoors for extended periods of time, mold may grow. If relative humidity (RH) is maintained below 60% indoors, there will not likely be enough water in building materials for mold to grow. Therefore, it is critical to properly operate and maintain heating and air conditioning equipment (HVAC). Do not tamper with HVAC equipment and operate consistently at designated settings. Scheduled maintenance is performed on all HVAC equipment. Malfunctioning equipment should be reported immediately to University Housing.

With the appropriate moisture content, molds can grow on wood, paper, fabrics, carpet, foods, and other organic materials so it is very important to properly manage building contents. This includes rugs and upholstered furniture that can hold dirt, dust and moisture and clothes that are left lying around or may be wet from exercise.

Sources: NC Department of Health and Human Services and EPA

Tips from our Experts on Student Health

Moving into a new environment can sometimes trigger allergies. Allergies are often seasonal and different pollens affect us differently which is why they are seasonal. Avoid the outdoors when you sense you are having trouble and be sure to visit Student Health Services, there are many treatments that can help relieve symptoms. You may also want to avoid sleeping directly under the AC vent.

With 5000 Pirates living and learning together, we also tend to spread colds and upper respiratory viruses from the contacts which are involved in our daily lives. This is why handwashing is important and wearing your mask to prevent COVID can also help to keep the flu away. If your student is not feeling well, please visit Student Health Services.

­­­We hope that this information is helpful. If your student feels like their AC unit is not working correctly, please stop in and see us and we will be happy to check on it and replace the filter. To make a request, students can contact their Neighborhood Service Center.

If you are interested, we will be holding a Facebook Live event with Environmental Health & Safety and Housing Operations Staff later next week. Be sure to follow Campus Living social media to find out more information about this upcoming Facebook Live event.