Simple air con trick shows how you can prevent that mould issue in your home

The rain has brought a heap of issues with it for many Aussie families. Who knew this even existed?

Many Aussies who are struggling with mould build-up in their homes at the moment had no idea this aircon setting even existed! Prevent mould and dampness creeping in by switching the settings. 

Mould. It's the dreaded five-letter word that is thrown around every winter.  But thanks to the heavy rainfall that has absolutely smashed the east coast of Australia recently, this year it's made an early appearance. And people are desperate to know how to get rid of it!

Sure, there are plenty of ways to clean up (we found this $2.80 spray from Woolies works well), but what if we told you there is a simple aircon hack that will not only keep you cool in a heat wave (or warm in winter) but may also be able to help moisture creeping in to begin with? 

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The simple air con hack to stop mould build-up

For those lucky enough to have an air con unit, take a look at your remote control or wall unit. You'll find there is a setting that is hardly used because not many of us knew about it. 

Depending on the brand of air con you have, there is a setting you can find when toggling through the menu. it's called the 'dry' setting and it's actually a built-in dehumidifier that can help combat the amount of moisture in the air inside your home. You can also find it by looking for the water droplet symbol.

While it won't clean black mould off surfaces - serious elbow grease is needed for that - it can certainly help prevent any more creeping in while the stormy weather continues. 

Look out for the water droplet or dry settings to switch to the dehumidifier. Images: Leah Goulis / Kidspot

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The easiest way to prevent moisture build-up 

OK, sure... there will be some out there screaming that they knew about this and can't understand why no one else did.. 10 points to you, my friend!

But for many Aussies, they didn't realise it was a thing until now. Until they had to actually DO something about the moisture creeping into their homes thanks to the relentless rain. 

"I had NO IDEA this option even existed! Sure, I've flicked through the dry setting multiple times but I've never stopped to consider what it actually is. I'm going to use this as we tend to get mould on our bedroom ceiling in winter. Gamechanger!" mum Claire shared with Kidspot. 

"Stop it! I have never seen the 'dry' setting until now. I'm so going to use this all the time now!" added another mum. 

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For Lucy, the droplet icon has also been something she has spotted on her aircon remote, but never actually used it. 

"I've seen the little droplet icon before but never knew what it did. I usually switch between summer and winter mode and never deviate from that," she said. 

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The setting can also be found with the word 'dry' displayed when toggling the mode. Image: Leah Goulis / Kidspot

Why black mould is so harmful

As we know, mould can grow anywhere that is moist and lacks decent ventilation. A favourite spot being the bathroom or ceiling of the coldest or darkest room in your house. 

It can be extremely hard to remove once the funghi spores get cozy but if not cleaned-up it can pose serious health risks for those living in the home. 

According to NSW Health, black mould can often bring on cold and flu-like symptoms and can lead to infection.

"Health effects of mould exposure include a runny or blocked nose, irritation of the eyes and skin and sometimes wheezing," the website reads. "For people with asthma, inhaling mould spores may cause an asthma attack. Very rarely, people may develop a severe mould infection, usually in the lungs."

While everyone should be aware of mould in their homes and their exposure to it, it's those with asthma, allergies, and weaker immune systems who need to be particularly careful as it can bring on complications with breathing.

Originally published as Simple air con trick shows how you can prevent that mould issue in your home