AC Smell - not sure what it is.

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

About a week ago I started smelling this odd almost mildew smell when I turn the ac on, I live in an apt and due to COVID cases being high I’m trying to see if this is something I can possibly fix on my own. My storage closet which is also where the ac unit is, is in my den, the smell is definitely coming from there because it smells the worst in the den. I have never looked at the condensation drain line (not sure if that’s the name, it’s in the pic below), but when I looked at it, the water looks brownish. Is that normal, or does that mean there Is mildew and/or mold? For some reason, I only start smelling it around the evening, during the day I do not, not sure why?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments (3)

PRO
Austin Air Companie
6 years ago
might be DSS or dirty sock syndrome.

clean coil, if the smell returns again that's probably what it is. Google it, you'll see.
HU-549457021 thanked Austin Air Companie
HU-549457021
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you for the advice, do you know if its normal for the water to look like it does in the picture? And do you know if it's common that the smell only appears later on in the day?
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PRO
Austin Air Companie
6 years ago
The smell is created by bacteria (typically on the coil). I am not a botanist so I can not explain why the smell is only happening later in the day. It may be how you're running it. The smell has been known to be a cause of the 'occupants' of the dwelling. This also plays into the known fact that no two homes are alike.

Only a very small percentage of homes suffer from this problem. Studies have been done in which people left structure / smell went away with those people. (It's bacteria that generates the smell. Some people's cooties stink) Assuming this is what it is.

If you clean the coil and the smell doesn't go away for a time: It's not DSS.

condensate water is waste water: it never looks pretty. Some say to drink it, I know better.