Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

I live in an apartment and the AC they have installed has a condensate
pan below the coils that drip from condensation. The drain for the pan
is located on the side of the pan towards the bottom but there is a
slight lip allowing about 1/6" of water to remain in the pan without
draining. I have been told by the maintenance people that this is
normal and to be expected, however I am beginning to smell mildew and
the insulation on the inside of the unit is filthy.

Can someone please let me know how I should proceed with this
situation?

Thanks

Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

On 7 Jul 2006 08:35:30 -0700, wrote:


I live in an apartment and the AC they have installed has a condensate
pan below the coils that drip from condensation. The drain for the pan
is located on the side of the pan towards the bottom but there is a
slight lip allowing about 1/6" of water to remain in the pan without
draining. I have been told by the maintenance people that this is
normal and to be expected, however I am beginning to smell mildew and
the insulation on the inside of the unit is filthy.

Can someone please let me know how I should proceed with this
situation?

Thanks

Lowes sells a package of blue chlorine tablets that you drop in the
standing water and it keeps the smell down and also stops your AC
drain from clogging up with algae growth.

Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

wrote in message
oups.com...

I live in an apartment and the AC they have installed has a condensate
pan below the coils that drip from condensation. The drain for the pan
is located on the side of the pan towards the bottom but there is a
slight lip allowing about 1/6" of water to remain in the pan without
draining. I have been told by the maintenance people that this is
normal and to be expected, however I am beginning to smell mildew and
the insulation on the inside of the unit is filthy.

Can someone please let me know how I should proceed with this
situation?

I don't know how "normal" it is, but you can improve the situation. Pour in
a bucket of water, slowly, to flush out the pan and be sure the drain is
clear. Then pour in a quart of water with a capful of bleach to keep it
from stinking.

Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

Is this a window unit , new units I thought were designed to hold water,
it makes them more efficient splashing the water up onto the coil. If it
has a drain clean it so it drains, spraying laundry bleach will kill
mold if that is what it is.

Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

m Ransley wrote:
Is this a window unit , new units I thought were designed to hold water,
it makes them more efficient splashing the water up onto the coil. If it
has a drain clean it so it drains, spraying laundry bleach will kill
mold if that is what it is.

This is an indoor unit, the compressor parts are located outdoors, and
the coils are inside where air is sucked up from the bottom, through
the coils, and then to the vents. The pan is sort of like a square
shape with the center allowing airflow.

The problem is the maintenance guy flushed the drain and cleared the
enterance to it, but because of how the hole and pvc attach to the side
of the pan, there is a certain amount that will never drain. The pan
is designed to be mounted horizontally. I already had him try shiming
it slightly in the rear but it hasnt been enough to get rid of the 1/6"
deep pool.

Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

wrote:
I live in an apartment and the AC they have installed has a condensate
pan below the coils that drip from condensation. The drain for the pan
is located on the side of the pan towards the bottom but there is a
slight lip allowing about 1/6" of water to remain in the pan without
draining. I have been told by the maintenance people that this is
normal and to be expected, however I am beginning to smell mildew and
the insulation on the inside of the unit is filthy.

Aside from the water standing in the pan, the "filthy" insulation
may pose a larger threat to you. The dirty insulation makes a
great breeding ground for mold growth (as you can tell). When the
blower starts up, it flings all the mold spores out into the
living space. ugh

These folks are selling services, but they have some good info
and pics to go with:
http://www.moldinspector.com/air_conditioning_mold.htm



Jim

Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

I called the maintenance supervisor today and told him it was still
smelling. He is supposed to get back to me today on having a
contractor come out to do duct cleaning. My primary concern is getting
the insulation cleaned (or replaced) that surrounds the coils. It's
really nasty looking and smells bad.

I'm also insisting if they do it, that they use a vacuum that vents
externally from the apartment.

Speedy Jim wrote:
wrote:
I live in an apartment and the AC they have installed has a condensate
pan below the coils that drip from condensation. The drain for the pan
is located on the side of the pan towards the bottom but there is a
slight lip allowing about 1/6" of water to remain in the pan without
draining. I have been told by the maintenance people that this is
normal and to be expected, however I am beginning to smell mildew and
the insulation on the inside of the unit is filthy.

Aside from the water standing in the pan, the "filthy" insulation
may pose a larger threat to you. The dirty insulation makes a
great breeding ground for mold growth (as you can tell). When the
blower starts up, it flings all the mold spores out into the
living space. ugh

These folks are selling services, but they have some good info
and pics to go with:
http://www.moldinspector.com/air_conditioning_mold.htm



Jim

Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

When my daughter had an AC installed, the guy gave her some
slow dissolving bleach tablets to put in the condensate pan
a couple times a season. They fit through the drain fitting.
Toilet bleach tablets like Clorox would also work if you
have access to the pan.


"m Ransley" wrote in message
...
Is this a window unit , new units I thought were designed
to hold water,
it makes them more efficient splashing the water up onto
the coil. If it
has a drain clean it so it drains, spraying laundry bleach
will kill
mold if that is what it is.

Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

AND .. .. those very same tablets have been known to eat right thru a
galvanized drain pan .. .. shim it some more 'till it drains to your
satisfaction .. .. it will do absolutely no harm .. .. the pan's only
purpose is to collect the condensate and route it to the drain.


Frank K. wrote:
When my daughter had an AC installed, the guy gave her some
slow dissolving bleach tablets to put in the condensate pan
a couple times a season. They fit through the drain fitting.
Toilet bleach tablets like Clorox would also work if you
have access to the pan.


"m Ransley" wrote in message
...

Is this a window unit , new units I thought were designed
to hold water,
it makes them more efficient splashing the water up onto
the coil. If it
has a drain clean it so it drains, spraying laundry bleach
will kill
mold if that is what it is.

Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm in Houston and run an
air cond. 10 months a year.
I put a bucket of bleach water in my air return when
it starts to have an odor. The bleach water evaporates THROUGH the entire
system killing the odors.
McM

Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

Speedy Jim wrote in
. com:

wrote:
I live in an apartment and the AC they have installed has a
condensate pan below the coils that drip from condensation. The
drain for the pan is located on the side of the pan towards the
bottom but there is a slight lip allowing about 1/6" of water to
remain in the pan without draining. I have been told by the
maintenance people that this is normal and to be expected, however I
am beginning to smell mildew and the insulation on the inside of the
unit is filthy.

Aside from the water standing in the pan, the "filthy" insulation
may pose a larger threat to you. The dirty insulation makes a
great breeding ground for mold growth (as you can tell). When the
blower starts up, it flings all the mold spores out into the
living space. ugh

These folks are selling services, but they have some good info
and pics to go with:
http://www.moldinspector.com/air_conditioning_mold.htm



Jim



Wasn't it a hotel AC unit/tower/air handler that was discovered to be
the source of Legionnaires' disease back 30 yrs ago or so?

Water stays in AC condensate pan (mildew odor)
 

"Al Bundy" wrote in message
Wasn't it a hotel AC unit/tower/air handler that was discovered to be
the source of Legionnaires' disease back 30 yrs ago or so?

Yes almost exactly 30 years. In 1976 the American Legion held their
convention in Philadelphia. A few of the convention attendees dies from the
before unknown disease. It was in a rooftop cooling tower.