Re: Mold inside my air conditioner

[Guest guest]

First make sure the outside back of the unit is lower than the front inside.

There should be a drain hole for condensation built up in the caseing. I also

suggest if you can see inside and know of a spot or two that you will not damage

anything drill drain hole(s) on the back bottom corner outside to let the water

drain. Use vinager to clean and or a vinager/borax mix. I also hose mine out

often to keep it clean. They do make some tablets to put in the case but if I

remember correctly they only are good for bacteria. I had tried some from Home

Depot.

It sounds like that is the problem with this one unit for you. Hope it helps.

 

Chris...

From: surellabaer <surellabaer@...>

Subject: [] Mold inside my air conditioner

Date: Thursday, July 3, 2008, 9:57 PM

I know this has been discussed before but I cant find the posts so I

apologize.

My wall AC has mold in it which gets blown into my living room every

time its on. This is a brand new AC (one year old) and I replaced the

old one because it developed mold too.

So the question is what about that spot is infecting my AC? I cant

figure it out. Is it because it's behind a bush and is not getting

alot of sunlight? Is it because the AC is installed low on the

wall-should it be higher up?

My other ACs are fine. I would move the AC but I dont know if that's

the problem.

And is there a way to clean inside an AC? I poured a whole bottle of

hydrogen peroside over the top and it dripped in but it didnt help.

Thanks for your help, Surella

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I am new to this group and thankful for all of the information

available. I had the same problem with my last two window air

conditioners, the first was bought two years ago, it was a frigidare

12,000 btu's window unit. it was throwing off a musty , moldy odor,

I googled " how to clean a window air conditioner unit " and got an

excellent website on how to take apart and clean one. We did what it

said it was fine for about six weeks and odor returned, this year we

bought another frigidare this time 10,000 btu's and within nine days

it was smelling moldy we removed it. I was watching Dr Shoemakers

video and he said something in there about strange smell in carpet,

my husband had just cleaned ours and I noticed a sour smell, we just

pulled it up last week and there was some small areas of mold on the

wood. Who do you get to inspect your homes for more mold that isn't

visible.

thank you

Lee

-- In , " surellabaer " <surellabaer@...>

wrote:

>

> I know this has been discussed before but I cant find the posts so I

> apologize.

> My wall AC has mold in it which gets blown into my living room every

> time its on. This is a brand new AC (one year old) and I replaced

the

> old one because it developed mold too.

> So the question is what about that spot is infecting my AC? I cant

> figure it out. Is it because it's behind a bush and is not getting

> alot of sunlight? Is it because the AC is installed low on the

> wall-should it be higher up?

> My other ACs are fine. I would move the AC but I dont know if that's

> the problem.

> And is there a way to clean inside an AC? I poured a whole bottle of

> hydrogen peroside over the top and it dripped in but it didnt help.

> Thanks for your help, Surella

>

[Guest guest]

I believe they are making special deep sleeves now to hold air

conditioner in right position, since they can shift due to their weight

and start to drain indoors. I can't find a link to one now though.

I've seen this draining inside in both the motels I stayed at

temporarily, air conditioners, in both draining onto carpeted floor.

However I'm talking about air conditioners that go through the wall,

not out a window. I haven't read whole thread so not sure which type

of installation you are talking about, but just an FYI to people who

may put an a/c through the wall.

>

> First make sure the outside back of the unit is lower than the front

inside.

[Guest guest]

Surella,

The mold is inevitable if you use the filter that came with the A/C as

these filters are all completely inadequate. After thorough

cleaning/disinfecting you must purchase WEB products filter material

and cut it to fit. This is a MERV-7 filter (MERV 8 is preferable but

not available). The filter probably does not fit inside the A/C filter

holder so it will probably have to be placed over the front intake,

taped in place so that there is no air bypass.

Here are excerpt from a previous posts:

" The surface of the coils that are exposed are usually the dirtiest as

this is where the

dust that bypasses the (useless) filter collects. (Always use a Web

supplemental filter

either inside (if it fits without touching the coils) or at the

exterior if it does not

fit.

You can HEPA vacuum the coils (do not bend the fins)then blast them

with steam from a

good steam vapor machine. (I usually use bleach spray and water from a

hose outside but

pressure steam can be successful.)

Don't forget to clean the blower as it also can get full of mold.

Basically, the entire interior of the A/C should look new when done.

It there are bits of

black gunk floating around in the rinse water, give up and get a new

one. And don't allow

the coil to get dirty.

We moved this year to a new house but we had to wait 4 months in a

rental which had a

through-wall A/C. It was packed with mold, I cleaned it first with

bleach (in place,

careful to make sure that the drips didn't rain on anyone below), then

steamed it for

over an hour. After 4 hours, I gave up because I could not get all the

mold out, called

the management and within an hour they replaced it!!!

Our new house has central A/C. I did not allow the contractors to run

it at all. Most of

the ducts and actual indoor units weren't even installed until shortly

before we closed.

The ducts that were in place in the attic were all sealed from the day

they were

installed. We have Aprilaire media filters (MERV-11) and Filtrex

pre-filters on every

return. After one season of operation, there is barely a speck of dust

in the system.

A nearly-completed, $4+ million house we recently investigated for a

buyer had pounds of

sawdust and drywall dust from construction in the ducts, in the liners

and on the coils .

The buyer (who had bad mold allergies) walked away from the house even

after it had been

(inadequately) cleaned, because ultimately, the sawdust throughout the

system would have

turned to mold from the high humidity of the cold air.

Central coil cleaning has to be done professionsally and carefully

inspected afterwards.

Usually, some type of chlorine-containing disinfectant is used.

Keep in mind that if there is fibrous lining laterial, this is also

full of mold and must

be replaced. Work should be done under containment. Do not allow the

use of unlined

insulation. Foil-coated fiberglass is fine.

It sometimes makes sense to replace a contaminated fan coil rather

than to clean it since

proper cleaning is so expensive and may not be successful if all the

mold is not removed.

Clean at the start of the new season. I am not familiar with

Acti-Klean but according the

the MSDS, it contains ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOBUTYL ETHER (which smells

but is water

dispersable and can therefore be rinsed away)and DODECYLBENZENE

SULFONIC ACID (which is

just a detergent). "

May

Author, " Jeff May's Healthy Home Tips "

www.mayindoorair.com

> ________________________________________________________________________

> 6. Mold inside my air conditioner

> Posted by: " surellabaer " surellabaer@... surellabaer

> Date: Thu Jul 3, 2008 7:40 pm ((PDT))

>

> I know this has been discussed before but I cant find the posts so I

> apologize.

> My wall AC has mold in it which gets blown into my living room every

> time its on. This is a brand new AC (one year old) and I replaced the

> old one because it developed mold too.

> So the question is what about that spot is infecting my AC? I cant

> figure it out. Is it because it's behind a bush and is not getting

> alot of sunlight? Is it because the AC is installed low on the

> wall-should it be higher up?

> My other ACs are fine. I would move the AC but I dont know if that's

> the problem.

> And is there a way to clean inside an AC? I poured a whole bottle of

> hydrogen peroside over the top and it dripped in but it didnt help.

> Thanks for your help, Surella

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm suspicious of window air conditioners as mine always mold up

within a summer's use. I do drill extra drain holes, but the fact is,

that water pools in the a/c, and then think about it, there's standing

water, and fluctuating temperatures, and it's a perfect breeding

ground for mold. In addition they are exposed to rain, soot etc.

So I switched to a portable a/c. Most of the a/c is kept indoors and

it evaporates out a tube that you can keep clean and installs easily

in the window. I would suggest a portable a/c for your problem window.

[Guest guest]

i had toxic mold in my apartment, and didnt know it of course. we

bought a brand new 12,000 btu window unit from sears. and for after

awhile there was an awful cat urine smell coming from the air

conditoner. i wased the filter, changed the filter but it wassnt the

filter, it was the AIR i was circulating the past two summers of 07

and 06 and the mold was in my home in my windows and in the cieling.

two years of breating that. yuck. we kept searching for cats outside

the house and all kinds of things - we sprayed with air fresner, it

still smelled.. if their is dangerous mold in there i think there

will be a urine type smell. at leas thats what i got in the air

conditioner that was in the ground zero room.

roe