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#1
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Room Air Conditioner Odors
What might cause a room air conditioner to put off a fishy odor? My
room air conditioner (large room) has always been filtered properly, seems to have adequate draining to the outside and otherwise works fine cooling-wise. All of a sudden one night, it started putting off this rotten fishy type odor and we can't figure out what's causing it. We've had this unit (from Sears) for probably 5 years and it's worked fine up until now. Sometimes in the past, it would put off a musty odor and we'd clean the filter and all would be well but now, it's more than we can handle once it starts smelling like that. It's running for probably 20-30 minutes just fine before it starts putting out that smell (even though it operates fine where temperature is concerned). Also, it runs fine in 'fan' mode with no odors for extended periods of time. thanks for any ideas... John |
#2
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Room Air Conditioner Odors
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#3
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Room Air Conditioner Odors
wrote in message ... wrote: What might cause a room air conditioner to put off a fishy odor? Dead something in the condensate tray. Either that, or the condensate tray is not draining properly. That is, it might be DRAINING, but only after it reaches a certain level. So what's left sitting there is stagnating. -Dave |
#4
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Room Air Conditioner Odors
Spray bleach inside the tray and anywhere you see dirt, besides a flying
fish that died inside it mold is likely growing, laundry bleach kills mold. |
#5
Posted to alt.home.repair,alt.hvac,misc.consumers.frugal-living
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Room Air Conditioner Odors
Newer window air conditioners have a pool of water in the bottom which is
always there. The fan in the back splashes the water onto the coils and this helps it cool more efficiently. This standing water can get things growing in it. I just pour a little bleach in the side of the air conditioner outside and this kills whatever is growing in the water. Then the fishy smell goes away. I only need to do this once or twice a year. wrote in message What might cause a room air conditioner to put off a fishy odor? My room air conditioner (large room) has always been filtered properly, seems to have adequate draining to the outside and otherwise works fine cooling-wise. All of a sudden one night, it started putting off this rotten fishy type odor and we can't figure out what's causing it. We've had this unit (from Sears) for probably 5 years and it's worked fine up until now. Sometimes in the past, it would put off a musty odor and we'd clean the filter and all would be well but now, it's more than we can handle once it starts smelling like that. It's running for probably 20-30 minutes just fine before it starts putting out that smell (even though it operates fine where temperature is concerned). Also, it runs fine in 'fan' mode with no odors for extended periods of time. thanks for any ideas... John |
#6
Posted to alt.home.repair,alt.hvac,misc.consumers.frugal-living
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Room Air Conditioner Odors
wrote in message oups.com...
What might cause a room air conditioner to put off a fishy odor? My room air conditioner (large room) has always been filtered properly, seems to have adequate draining to the outside and otherwise works fine cooling-wise. All of a sudden one night, it started putting off this rotten fishy type odor and we can't figure out what's causing it. Uh, do you live in New Orleans by any chance? Don |
#7
Posted to alt.home.repair,alt.hvac,misc.consumers.frugal-living
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Room Air Conditioner Odors
In article ,
Bill wrote: Newer window air conditioners have a pool of water in the bottom which is always there. The fan in the back splashes the water onto the coils and this helps it cool more efficiently. Every window A/C I've seen has done this; it's not just newer ones. In fact, the newer (3-4 year old) units I have don't accmulate much water on their own. I can add a quart, but it doesn't last more than a few hours (then again, we're seeing 100F - 102F highs at the moment). This standing water can get things growing in it. I can vouch for that, having found thick layers of mold growing in the old A/Cs I replaced... I just pour a little bleach in the side of the air conditioner outside and this kills whatever is growing in the water. Bleach is corrosive to aluminum. I've been advised to use hudrogen peroxide, which seems to work without risking damage to the coils. Then the fishy smell goes away. I only need to do this once or twice a year. I've never noticed a fishy smell, just bits of black mold getting thrown out of the vents. (The insides of both coils of one window unit got clogged with it--badly.) Gary -- Gary Heston What do you call two SUVs colliding? Poetic justice. A worthwhile endeavour: http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/c...jects/CTDSites |
#8
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Room Air Conditioner Odors
Thanks for the replies all. Turned out to be a plugged drain and
washing out the tray real well that cured the problem. thanks again. John |
#9
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Room Air Conditioner Odors
replying to Bill, CATHY GARCIA wrote:
I will try that -- for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/hvac/r...dors-1204-.htm |
#10
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Room Air Conditioner Odors
replying to CATHY GARCIA, ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
Great! Next time try looking at the date your are replying to and thanking people for their help. This topic is *_twelve (12) years old_* -- for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/hvac/r...ors-48808-.htm |
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