Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I successfully made it until 4/26/16 IN THE SOUTH until I had to turn on the A/C for the first time this year. After coming home after work on 4/27, I noticed a musty smell coming from one of the bedroom vents, to the point I turned off the system completely. I googled what the issue could be and it seems that the A/C system may just need a yearly cleaning. Can anyone confirm this?
I will say that when the heat was on during some of the cooler nights during the past couple weeks, the smell was not there.
Dirty sock syndrome, it usually happens when switching from heat to a/c as the coils get cold and wet. It should gradually go away, but a coil disinfecting couldn't hurt.
New filter
Check condensate line- open? Draining? Secondary line- open? Clean lines with cup of bleach. Does unit have condensate pump? Is it working? Draining properly.
Condenser unit- clean? Wash accumulated dirt from the coils, remove leaves and/or any other debris that maybe inside the cabinet. Is there plenty of room around the unit(s)? No shrubs, bushes, etc.
If you change your filters religiously there's probably no reason to have the evaporator cleaned- however, if it's a 10-15yo unit and filter changing is a when I think about it kinda thing- then yeah, cleaning the evap might be needed.
But, in most cases as previously mentioned it usually goes away after awhile. Unless^^^
System is approx 3 years old and filter is changed every 3 months. I'm not handy whatsoever, so I was just going to have someone come out and do a tune up, but I was just preparing myself to hear bad news. I don't recall smelling this odor in previous years, that's just what made me nervous.
It would probably be continuous and worse during heating.
The "dirty socks syndrome" mentioned ordinarily applies only to heat pumps and can be treated with biocides specifically made for the problem. Once the coil has been sanitized, UV lights can provide a continuous treatment for the problem. Battling the problem can be an uphill struggle once you get it.
Contacting qualified HVAC contractor would be the logic first step.
Curious because I am having the same issue. Our HVAC was replaced about two years ago, and was just serviced in January (part of the deal when we bought the system). Filters are replaced regularly. It's been a couple of months, so if it were something dead, it would have started smelling much worse before now.
I'm having a company come and do a tune up tomorrow. If it's mold, would they have to do a special test? I really don't think it is but I don't know how one would rule that out.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
