What Causes This, And What Can Be Done About It?

The window convector grates which help direct and focus the air for heating and cooling may get pretty yucky over the summer sometimes.

Why is that?

Well these grates can get cold during AC season, and sometimes the air in our units can get pretty humid. This makes condensation possible. If the grates get cold enough, moisture will form. If moisture forms and sticks around, that is the perfect recipe for mold and mildew.

What do you do about it?

Of course the most obvious means of preventing this would be to control the humidity level in the unit, but that can be challenging in the summer – even with a dehumidifier.

One thing that can help is removing and cleaning the grates regularly. They are dishwasher safe, so that is an option, but if you don’t have a dishwasher they can be cleaned by hand just like dishes. Also, a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part bleach should do the trick. Even if you already have molding, soaking them in the same mixture should kill it and clean them off pretty well. 20 minutes is a good start but if they are in horrible shape, like the picture above, let them soak longer.

If you do this regularly with or without the condition, it can help lessen or even prevent it over time.

As they age, this may get harder, and they can become more brittle. They may even crack or start falling apart. If that happens, or if you just lose patience with cleaning them, brand new ones can be ordered from the office. Each square grate is just $2.

If you have any questions about this, or would like to get some new grates, you can e-mail our team at parktowercondo-mgmt@habitat.com.