Musty Smelling Air From Air Con Unit

[davejonesbkk]

I changed rooms at my apartment building recently but the air form the air con units smells really musty, dank and sometimes a bit rotten what causes this and how can it be fixed? I think I read somewhere that you can get legionairres disease from this...

[trogers]

Smell from the air-con? Or from some other sources? Damp carpet, unventilated bathroom, no fresh air into the room (some rooms has no window), etc.

[katabeachbum]

I changed rooms at my apartment building recently but the air form the air con units smells really musty, dank and sometimes a bit rotten what causes this and how can it be fixed? I think I read somewhere that you can get legionairres disease from this...

They call it "service aircon". Pick it apart, clean, kill fungi and must, refill gas. Should be done at last twice a year, and monthly cleaning of filters.

Homepro charges 650 baht for the service

[lopburi3]

First step should be cleaning of the air-conditioner unit. If that does not fix it you have other issues. An independent service would cost about 500 baht to completely clean and check inside and outside units. There should not be any need to "refill gas".

[Macx]

It cost me 800 bth to have some ac guys come over and "clean" the unit at a rented condo, which basically was washing and scrubbing the unit and spraying some stuff into it. They actually hosed it down and caught the water in a plastic sheet and a tub. It took them over 2 hrs. Wasn't exactly professional.

The mildew smell went down about 75% but it never went away. The only thing that helped was running it everyday for half an hour with the windows open. The strongest smell comes when the ac is just turned on.

Good luck. Let us know if you find a better way.

[trogers]

I changed rooms at my apartment building recently but the air form the air con units smells really musty, dank and sometimes a bit rotten what causes this and how can it be fixed? I think I read somewhere that you can get legionairres disease from this...

They call it "service aircon". Pick it apart, clean, kill fungi and must, refill gas. Should be done at last twice a year, and monthly cleaning of filters.

Homepro charges 650 baht for the service

I believe Bt650 excludes cost of recharging the gas.

[oldgit]

I changed rooms at my apartment building recently but the air form the air con units smells really musty, dank and sometimes a bit rotten what causes this and how can it be fixed? I think I read somewhere that you can get legionairres disease from this...

The musty smell usually comes from a dirty drip tray in the indoor unit.The system needs a service and filter clean.

[trogers]

When I first enter an apartment room and finds musty and dank smell, the first source I look will be the mattress.

[Rimmer]

Get it cleaned at once ever here of Legionnaires disease?

[davejonesbkk]

Its the air con unit for sure, 100%. Drains and everything are fine, don't have carpets.

Macx - Seems mine is similar to yours the mustiness is worst for the first 30 mins or so when you turn it on. This is an apartment block not a condo so I'll speak to the manager about getting it properly cleaned.

[phetaroi]

My guess is that it is your air conditioning unit(s).

You might want to take a white tissue and wipe various other surfaces. Any that are vertical and come up with a black film...that's mildew. Depending on the nature of the material, a good solution to wipe it with is 10% bleach, 90% water.

[davejonesbkk]

Ok so the room next door was free. Tried the air, seemed ok at first but wanted to test it and see if my telephone/internet cable would reach, so sat and worked on my laptop in there for 30 mins or so and now it seems that in this room the air smells of new paint (or perhaps spirits??). Asked janitor if they had painted it recently, he said no not for over 1 month, its the air for sure making the smell, switched it off for 20 mins and the smell went away. This paint smell has already made me feel a bit woozy and sick! So what on earth could make the air from the air con unit smell like new paint??? Do I have to choose between musty air and paint smelling air???

[trogers]

Time to rent a condo.