I am VEXED! (Problem with a/c)

[Are_grits_groceries]

I have been having a problem with my a/c unit. It cools fine which is a blessing since I live in SC which is a suburb of Hell.

No, I have another problem to deal with. Whenever the unit shuts off and the condensation collects in the drain pan, it smells like something wet crawled up in there and died. It is strong enough that I can smell it around my entire apartment.

When I took the cover off and the filter out to see what had curled up and passed, I could see that the water in the drain pan was gray to black. Upon further inspection, there is black shite all in the water.

I took a spray bottle and aimed into the grill in front of the condensation pipes. As I watched, black shite of varying sizes rolled into the water.

I was not happy. I checked the unit, and it is a 1988 Carrier model.

I have called my apartment complex several times, and they tell me nothing is wrong. I have not seen them in the apartment checking the area I am concerned about. I believe they are checking the outside part of the unit and their readings are ok. However, I am not talking to them about the OUTSIDE part.

They sent one person who did actually look at the grill and drain pan. He looked me in the eye, told me it was fine, and then said that it was a NEW unit.

I whipped my head around and gave him my teacher look. I asked him how old he thought the unit was. He said 2001 or 2002.

I increased the intensity of my look which I didn't think was possible, and I told him that it was made in 1988!

I then said that I was going to take a very, very charitable interpretation of what he said. I was going to assume he wasn't a bald-faced liar, and that he had a skewed sense of time and what 'new' units look like. I also said that I was going to assume that he didn't think I had an IQ of 10 or any background in a/c or mold info and was trying to get over on me.

Then I gave him a friendly word of advice. I said, "Bless your heart. You may run up on somebody who isn't charitable in the least. I myself have run out of my quota for the year. I strongly suggest that you act as if people do have a clue when you deal with them even if they don't. AS Gawd is my witness, don't ever try anything like this with me again."

I can't get anybody to just give me a basic analysis because to enter the property they have to have the permission of the owner. I am making educated guesses that it is mold and whatnot based on what I am told and have read. The drain pan, drain lines, and the area behind the grill needs to be thoroughly cleaned. Since I am making educated guesses, that isn't a very big stick to wield over the landlord.

I do have a cousin who worked for DHEC which is the SC department of health and crap. He has a degree in microbiology. He is coming to take a look to see if he can determine with some semblance of actual training what the black shite is.

I am self-testing for mold in the unit and in the air. I also went to the magistrate and he said to send them a letter with all the details. They would have 14 days to respond in some fashion or off to court we go. I have held off on that because I don't want them to suddenly decide I am a problem tenant. I have rarely called them about anything in 5 years except this.

However, I have reached my limit of bullshit and bad air. I am continually getting sinus infections, and I don't think that is a coincidence. I can't move because I don't have the money to go somewhere else. I don't want them to replace the entire fricking unit. I want them to CLEAN it.

As much snark and bite as I can hurl, I have confined myself to "Bless your hearts" which is actually a very strong statement. I don't want to permanently maim someone with my sarcasm.

So that is my tale of vexation. They have gotten on my one remaining nerve, and that was a mistake.

[hobbit709]

1. If there's standing water in the drain pan

That suggests the drain tube is clogged.

[sendero]

2. Exactly.

.... and that is why there is mold, it never dries out like it would if it were draining properly.

[madokie]

8. Some of the newer units hold water in the drain pan

and they use the evaporation from the hot line from the compressor that is in a s's type curves that resided on the bottom of the unit in that water to raise their efficiency level. Older air conditioner as the author is saying this one is that was not the case as this development I'm talking about has only recently been added to the manufacturing of window unit air conditioners. We have our old air conditioner that we purchased new about 15 years ago that we do not use anymore and it is of the design that the water drains out as it collects. We replaced it with three smaller units that were all made last year and they are of the type I speak of about the water standing in the lower part of the unit where the hot pipe from the compressor is located. So far we've no problems with them but I'm skeptical about this new design for that reason. I keep the air conditioners set where they do not let in any outside air only recycle the air here indoors. Theres plenty of air entering and leaving as we go through the doors to keep the air indoors from getting stale.

[Kolesar]

3. Clorox bleach

Make a diluted solution and clean what you can get to. Use a spray bottle if you want to spray the evaporator coil and get to areas you can't reach with a brush.

Some people develop mold allergies. Asthma is somehow related to the mold alergies.

Better information here: www.ehw.org
http://www.ehw.org/healthy-home-repairs/
http://www.ehw.org/popular-downloads/

The bleach dilution should be written on the bottle of bleach. Maybe 20 to 1?

[PCIntern]

4. I had that problem years ago in my old office:

the tech came out and sprayed the fins thoroughly with a combination of water and sanitizer, and threaded a tiny roto-rooter thru the drain line and all was OK after that. What came out of the fins resembled what we now call "Santorum".

[Are_grits_groceries]

5. Thx for the suggestions.

I did use a snake from both ends of the drain. It wasn't blocked, and there was nothing on it when I brought it out.

I was given a couple of suggestions. I used bleach in the drain pan. After a few days, I began using 'drain tablets' that dissolve and are supposed to stop buildups of shite. So far, that hasn't helped. I know that I may not have reached or found a possible problem in the line even after what I did. Probably a tiny troll having some fun.

[RC]

6. If the drain is not blocked and the pan has water in it all the time, then

the most likely problem is that the unit is not setting correctly. The unit needs to tilt back towards the drain holes.

As for the mold problem, the unit may need to be removed to properly clean it. You will need to get to both sides of the cooling coil and better access to the drip pan. Don't forget the air filter. Mold can build up along the bottom and restart the problem again.

[Ganja Ninja]

9. Sometimes if there's no trap at all the water won't drain properly ...

because there is a negative pressure in the air handler. Make sure there's a trap in the drain line. Sometimes it's on the outside end and it can get knocked off.

[RC]

10. I was thinking a window or wall unit.

Not many people mess with their central air. Out of sight, out of mind.

[Ganja Ninja]

7. I work in the A/C business.

This kind of thing is common and natural. Dirt collects on the coil and fungus/slime grows in the moisture. Go get yourself some foamy bathroom cleaner and spray down the coil. Use a soft brush if necessary. The foam that runs down the coil should take care of what's growing in the drain pan. If you know where the drain is outside take a wet/vac and put it over the end of the pipe and suck it out. There is a trap in the drain line which collects dirt and slime and can get blocked. The vacuum should get it out. If you don't have a vacuum you can try putting a garden hose over it for just a couple of seconds. The weight of the water (as it drain back out) should siphon out the line.

And change the filter in your AC often.

[reflection]

11. I also work in the a/c business.

Regarding the tech's incorrect answer regarding the age of the unit, it may not be his/her fault completely. Often the age of the unit is shown in the serial number, and one of the alpha digits represents the year, another can be the month. Since there are only 26 letters, and some mfrs omit 0 and I (because they look like zeroes and ones) that leaves 24 letters available for use. And so the letters are recycled every 24 years. A unit made in 1970 could also be shown to be made in 1994. This sort of jives with your story about 1988. 1988+24=2012, which is close to the current year.

(Just my $1, which is equivalent to $0.02 these days)