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Split system air con smell

Pommy

Coach
Messages
14,657
so we have a split system air con unit which is starting to smell a little, normally when first turned on.
What’s the best way to fix this? The filters are clean but I assume the smell is coming from the metal fins.
 

Life's Good

Coach
Messages
13,971
so we have a split system air con unit which is starting to smell a little, normally when first turned on.
What’s the best way to fix this? The filters are clean but I assume the smell is coming from the metal fins.
Not an expert but if it’s an electrical, burning smell it could be the unit itself. If it’s an odour then there might be some sort of creature that found its way in & died.
 

Pommy

Coach
Messages
14,657
It’s not an electrical smell, I also don’t think something has died.
It’s a similar smell to what you get in cars that don’t use the air con very often, which in the UK is fairly regular lol. When I was an apprentice we had some machine that had a hose to pump some kind of cleaner in to the car through the pollen filter. I have no idea on home aircon though.
 

Life's Good

Coach
Messages
13,971
Seems to be a musty type from under use. Maybe run it for a while(hot & cold??)and see if that clears it up. Beyond that, you’ll likely need an AC specialist.
 

Nealo 12

Bench
Messages
4,796
Sometimes the condensation drain becomes blocked from dust and the water doesn't get away completely. It becomes stagnated and smells.
 

Barkley

Bench
Messages
2,576
Most likely there mould forming on the coil inside the head (inside) unit. It’s very common.

Take the filters out and spray a mould killer all over the inside of the unit especially the coil. Wipe any surface areas you can access. Run the a/c for a while (best when you are out of the house) to get rid of the remaining smell.

You can get coil cleaner from the hardware store or just use any household mould killer spray.
 

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
150,734
could be a combination of a few things, sounds like a smell from being dried out, either the evaporator coils (aluminium fins) or the drain

spraying it with bleach will kill any mould or bacteria that is causing the smell but it will eventually go away with use if its only a mild smell, if its really bad you should be able to see mould build up on either the coil or around the entrance to the drain

could also be a dead mouse which has happened to me, they hide in warm spaces like the electrical junction box in the colder months but you dont smell it till you turn the fan on
 

Exsilium

First Grade
Messages
9,517
Two things.

Buy some Pan tablets which dissolve into the pan and condenser lines. This will treat any mould or build up within the drainage system and lines.

Clean or change your filters.

Should do the trick
 
Messages
14,795
If it's musty you've either got shit on the coil or in the condensate pan/drain line. Blow the drain line out, and if it keeps stinking try a non corrosive anti moulding solution on the coil.

It's more likely to stink at warmer temps too.
 

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