- Mold can easily grow on a ceiling fan if the fan consists of organic materials. "Organic" simply refers to once-living material, so wooden fan blades can easily promote mold growth. The mere presence of wood does not cause mold to grow, however. The fan also requires a presence of moisture. So if wooden fan blades become excessively wet, a musty odor may emerge even before mold becomes visible to the eye.
- If you notice a musty odor as soon as you open the box to install your new ceiling fan, the problem may have first emerged at the warehouse, retail store or even at the manufacturer's location. Look for signs of moisture on the box itself. The fan may have been exposed to water from rain, flooding or humidity. If you notice the musty odor after installing the fan, examine the ceiling for leaks. The problem may result from mold growing in your attic. Mold may also grow on a ceiling fan if you have high humidity inside your home.
- Mold spreads and can possibly endanger your health if you ignore the problem. If you determine that the issue results from a moisture problem in your ceiling or roof, call a mold remediator at once. If the problem simply results from high humidity causing moisture to accumulate on your fan blades, purchase a portable dehumidifier from your local home improvement store, and run the appliance on humid days.
- Mold becomes instantly neutralized without a source of moisture. If you can disassemble the fan, or if you have not yet installed it, place it in direct sunlight to dry. Otherwise, run your central air conditioning or heater to promote air circulation and slowly dry the fan blades. Mix 8 tablespoons of trisodium phosphate with a gallon of water, and scrub the fan blades to kill the spores completely. Your local home improvement store should carry trisodium phosphate under various trade names.
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