HAVAC problems of mold???????

[neilbcox]

:MOJE_whot:

We have lived all over the US including the SE, NE and SW for over 30 years.

Problem: We discovered mold and mildew in our HVAC closet in our garage. We called the HVAC company that installed our system in Gilchrist...3 years ago.

We where told that since we did not pour hot water down this water drainage pipe every month that HVAC drain would back up and cause another problem. They said that we cause the problem. They informed us that we should have been trained in this procedure but we were not.

So I used clorox cleanup to clean the area including the hot water heater area. I had purchased a case (12) of air filters which I just discovered most of them now have mold and mildew on them and therefore I had to discard.

Now I was raised in Alabama, lived in Tenn. Connecticut and lived in San Antonio Texas for 25 years with similar weather and humidity like here we and I have NEVER had to pour hot water down a drainage pipe.

The problem seems that the HAVC company placed a pipe that is TOO SMALL.

I am retired and had no idea that we had to pour hot water down a small pipe every month!

Do you think I should have all the HAVC ductwork needs to be cleaned. I believe this will make us sick.

Your point of view? HELP!

[Nucky]

The company giving you that information is the one full of mold. Very inventive bunch of contractors around here. What a shame.

[hvacgolfer]

I was the owner of an HVAC firm for over 35 years in the mid-Atlantic area. Never did a manufacturer suggest that buyers of their products pour hot water down the condensate drain. The way the air conditioning systems work is that as air passes through the evaporator coil (in the air handler) the humidity condenses (forms water) and that water then slides down the coil and into the condensate drain system. Unfortunately, the coils are not 100% effective and the residual water left behind on the coils becomes problematic. Moisture in combination with darkness creates ideal growing conditions for mold. That's a fact. What to do? Running the blower continuously is one approach (inexpensive). Another is to set the thermostat slightly higher so the system cuts off periodically (inexpensive). Another approach is to have special lights installed within the fan coil (though these can be pricey).

[KathieI]

:MOJE_whot:

We have lived all over the US including the SE, NE and SW for over 30 years.

Problem: We discovered mold and mildew in our HVAC closet in our garage. We called the HVAC company that installed our system in Gilchrist...3 years ago.

We where told that since we did not pour hot water down this water drainage pipe every month that HVAC drain would back up and cause another problem. They said that we cause the problem. They informed us that we should have been trained in this procedure but we were not.

So I used clorox cleanup to clean the area including the hot water heater area. I had purchased a case (12) of air filters which I just discovered most of them now have mold and mildew on them and therefore I had to discard.

Now I was raised in Alabama, lived in Tenn. Connecticut and lived in San Antonio Texas for 25 years with similar weather and humidity like here we and I have NEVER had to pour hot water down a drainage pipe.

The problem seems that the HAVC company placed a pipe that is TOO SMALL.

I am retired and had no idea that we had to pour hot water down a small pipe every month!

Do you think I should have all the HAVC ductwork needs to be cleaned. I believe this will make us sick.

Your point of view? HELP!

Sorry for your problems. Same thing happened to me, only worse. I was never advised to pour vinegar down the pipe but I did have a company servicing my a/c 4 times a year by contract. Apparently, they were doing it but for some reason, 3 years after living in the house, the pipe backed up and mold developed not only in the water closet in the garage, but leaked into my dining area and living room. Mold was everywhere, I had never heard of this before but I lived in Los Angeles and I figured because it was so dry, we didn't have this problem. Bottom line, 3 walls in my home had to be replaced, including the wood flooring in the living room and dining room. I came down with pneumonia and had to leave my house for 2 months. Luckily, my insurance covered almost all of these expenses but my recommendation to you is to definitely get all the a/c ducts cleaned by a professional mold remediation person because they probably have been contaminated. I also had the same company put a UV light in the HVAC unit so that if any mold every reappeared in the future, the UV light would treat it before it became a problem.

If you want the name and number of the mold remediation people I used, PM me and I'll find it in my files. I'm so sorry for your trouble, it must be something unique with FL a/c units because my husband and I had never heard of this before.

Good Luck!!

[neilbcox]

Thanks sir...your professional response is greatly appreciated. One question for you! The condensation drain runs to outside underground. The pipe goes underground but comes up approximately 12 inches then over and down again. This creates something like a j-trap in plumbing. The pipe has water in it intentionally to stop animals from entering the HAC...I guess. This creates a trap for mold and mildew to build up and block the pipe. I assume this is why I was told to pour hot water in it monthly.

Would any harm be done if I just cut off the end of the pipe where it does not create a trap for water to stand?

[villagetinker]

Some additional info, the instructions that came with our house stated to pour water down the drain line (there is a cap for doing this) every 6 months. If the line is backed up you will know it when you do this. I do not understand how the unused filters had mold on them. Do you have your system checked for both air and water leaks? I added a piece of screening at the end of my J trap, so that critters cannot climb into the drain pipe.
I have a small piece of old garden hose that can go from the hot water heater drain to the area of the HVAC drain, and when I drain the water heater (also every 6 months), I do this to the HVAC drain. I usually run the hot water heater drain for 2 minutes, and I check that there is a puddle when the HVAC drain empties outside.
Hope this helps.

[waterlily]

I have had small mold issues in rental properties in the northeast. I used a bleach based cleaner as well and the mold spores reappeared rather quickly. A refrigeration repairman suggested that I clean first with Dawn & warm water, ventilate to dry, and then mist with bleach water and let it air dry. It worked very well. Two cleanings and two bleach sanitizers and the mold spores stopped. In the Florida climate, you may have to ventilate with the bleach water as well, I don't know.
It is a low cost, low effort attempt to stop the spores from spreading.

[villagetinker]

There is also a product called sporiciden (?) that is very effective at controlling and eliminating mold. This information was from a professional so I am not sure if the public can buy it.

[rjm1cc]

We were told to pour a cup of vinegar into the air handler each month.

The Air handler has a pipe for this purpose.

We were told the purpose was to prevent alga from growing and plugging up the pipe.

Glade you posted this thread because I always wondered if this was necessary.

When your A/C is running you can look at the outside pipe and see if water is coming out.

[VillagerNut]

Yes everybody that has a home or a villa here should be putting a minimum of a half a cup of vinegar in the capped off drainage pipe to keep the algae from building up in the drainage line to the outdoors. The other thing is you should have your air conditioner and air handler service twice a year by a certified air conditioning company. Servpro in Ocala does a very good job of mold remediation and they also can treat your coils to make sure there's no mold buildup with it!

[ducati1974]

There are a lot of scammers around here. I was an HVAC contractor for 38 years. My neighbor told me his HVAC company informed him that his evaporator coil was rusting and needed a treatment that cost nearly $1,000. or he would end up spending more thousands later. NONSENSE! Every evaporator coil that is a few years old has some sign of rust! The end panels are made of galvanized steel and they WILL rust. Don't spend lots of money without having someone else look at it. Mold is a great buzzword for them to get you to spend money too. Be sure that what they are showing you is not in fact dust. Return ducts that lead to a filter will always have dust in them, but remember if the ducts are before the filter, its not a big deal- the purpose of the filter is to catch that dust before it enters the air handler and before it ends up in the supply ducts..

[neilbcox]

Thanks everyone. We have placed a claim on our homeowners policy with the adjuster coming out tomorrow. We have received a couple of estimates for the insurance company. One quote came from Advanced Restoration Services, INC. They seemed very knowledgeable and recommended that we purchase very small chlorine tablets which are located by the air filters in Home Depot. This mold cleaning is very expensive so it is better to keep the condensation pipe clean.

Once the insurance and cleaning is completed I will post the results and my input.

Neil

[biker1]

Your system should have a float connected to a shutoff switch. If the condensate isn't draining the system will stop running. If you ever call your HVAC vendor because of a non running system, the first thing they will check is whether the shutoff switch is tripped because of non draining condensate.

:MOJE_whot:

We have lived all over the US including the SE, NE and SW for over 30 years.

Problem: We discovered mold and mildew in our HVAC closet in our garage. We called the HVAC company that installed our system in Gilchrist...3 years ago.

We where told that since we did not pour hot water down this water drainage pipe every month that HVAC drain would back up and cause another problem. They said that we cause the problem. They informed us that we should have been trained in this procedure but we were not.

So I used clorox cleanup to clean the area including the hot water heater area. I had purchased a case (12) of air filters which I just discovered most of them now have mold and mildew on them and therefore I had to discard.

Now I was raised in Alabama, lived in Tenn. Connecticut and lived in San Antonio Texas for 25 years with similar weather and humidity like here we and I have NEVER had to pour hot water down a drainage pipe.

The problem seems that the HAVC company placed a pipe that is TOO SMALL.

I am retired and had no idea that we had to pour hot water down a small pipe every month!

Do you think I should have all the HAVC ductwork needs to be cleaned. I believe this will make us sick.

Your point of view? HELP!

[Jima64]

There is also a product called sporiciden (?) that is very effective at controlling and eliminating mold. This information was from a professional so I am not sure if the public can buy it.

This product is available online from ebay and other sources.

[villagetinker]

Jima64, thank you for the research.

All, I was asked for a copy of my instructions, unfortunately, I cannot locate these. Went through 2 inches of paper from the purchase of the house and the DVD and booklet that we got, and could not find the instructions. Not sure now where I got those, but if I find them again, I will post.

[mtdjed]

One previous poster recommended running fan at all times. My control board was damaged by a surge and caused my units fan to run continuously during the summer. After some time , I started noticing mildew forming on some old leather shoes in the bedroom closet. Also noticed that outlet ducks in the master bedroom tended to get moist and some growth was forming. Checked the humidity in that room and was in the high 60s. Later had AC company check the unit and they replaced the damaged control board. Was told that in the humid months in the south , that you do not want to run the fan at all times. While the AC is running , you are reducing humidity in the air by having it condense vapor on the coil. When the AC shuts off, you want the fan to also shut off. If not you are blowing the air over the wet condenser and sending it back into the house. Since then , I have made sure the fan is not running after AC shutdown and the humidity is much lower.

To be safe from mold, was convinced to buy UV light (Guardian Air Reme) and charged about $1000. Was reminded of tis when my AC company recently called and said it was time for the Reme Cell to be replaced. $400. Was never told about that. Decided to investigate. Found out Reme cost was about $429 and cell(Light Bulb) is about $200 and is supposed to be easily changed. So, be prepared to have somebodies hand in your back pocket.

[villagetinker]

Do some research on the "UV" lights, as I recall these are not as effective as stated by the suppliers, I would not waste my money.

[rjm1cc]

I was also told not to run the fan all the time as it does not let the duck work dry out and will lead to mold in the ducks. I have a setting that lets the fan come on randomly when the A/C or heater is not running.

[paulat585]

Your system should have a float connected to a shutoff switch. If the condensate isn't draining the system will stop running. If you ever call your HVAC vendor because of a non running system, the first thing they will check is whether the shutoff switch is tripped because of non draining condensate.

Hi All, I bought a "low voltage Safe-T-Switch" online after reading your posts. My question is what kind of pro do I need to install it. Do I need to hire an HVAC person or could a general handyman do it? Thank you. PS: neither person living here is competent to do the install.

[biker1]

Your system doesn't have a float with a cutoff switch? I thought that was code.

Hi All, I bought a "low voltage Safe-T-Switch" online after reading your posts. My question is what kind of pro do I need to install it. Do I need to hire an HVAC person or could a general handyman do it? Thank you. PS: neither person living here is competent to do the install.

[villagetinker]

I would vote on having the HVAC people install, having stated that, they may balk at installing something you bought. This should be low voltage wiring, so you may be able to get by with a handyman, but you need to make sure they know what they are doing, so that they do not damage your AC control system.

[PaulDenise]

I just looked at mine. It is a 2 year old system in a 2 year old house.

My furnace has a specific place to screw it in. It is inline with the condensation drain, but the nipple is actually on the furnace.

The wires from it go up and onto the circuitry on the top of the inside of the furnace.

So, if you have an older furnace that does not already have one of these, you will have to do both plumbing with the drain line and electrical work with the wiring diagram of the circuit board.

In short, call Munn's or another HVAC place and have them do it right (probably using their own parts).

Are you absolutely certain that you do not have one already, hidden someplace on the furnace or on the drain pipe?? It would be two wires attached to something down by the drain pipe.

[biker1]

I am not sure about FL but switches to cut off the system when the condensate line is clogged (via a float and switch) have been code in GA for at least 15 years.

I just looked at mine. It is a 2 year old system in a 2 year old house.

My furnace has a specific place to screw it in. It is inline with the condensation drain, but the nipple is actually on the furnace.

The wires from it go up and onto the circuitry on the top of the inside of the furnace.

So, if you have an older furnace that does not already have one of these, you will have to do both plumbing with the drain line and electrical work with the wiring diagram of the circuit board.

In short, call Munn's or another HVAC place and have them do it right (probably using their own parts).

Are you absolutely certain that you do not have one already, hidden someplace on the furnace or on the drain pipe?? It would be two wires attached to something down by the drain pipe.

[DangeloInspections]

I always tell my clients to pour about 1/2 a gallon of hot, (not boiling) water into the inlet of your A/C condensate line, at least 4 times a year. A 1/2 a cup of Vinegar is also fine. Never pour bleach down there, as it can in some cases harm the A-Coil. I even blow mine out or suck it out with a shop vac every so often. Typically the service guy will do this if he is good.

If the condensate line backs up the float switch SHOULD turn off your unit before damage is done.....however, I usually find a broken float switch about every two weeks during warranty inspections.

I also recommend that you have your A/C serviced (i.e.cleaned and maintained) at least once per year, if not twice a year. Your A/C system is one of the most expensive components of your home. Keeping it in tip-top shape will help it to last longer and run more efficiently, saving you money in the long run.

Also make sure the filter door on your Carrier unit fully closes. I often find them half open, allowing more humid garage air to enter your conditioned space. This will also help cause a wet filter, etc, that can promote mold growth on the filter.

I do about 400 warranty inspections in The Villages a year, and many times I find horrid looking moldy A/C filters from folks who have not learned to have normal maintenance done on their systems.

On a typical inspection we check the A-Coil, filter, housing, float switch, bottom of the return, etc, etc, etc. It is always good to know that your serviceperson during normal maintenance has blown out your condensate line, etc.

Personally, I am not a big fan of service contracts...but even I have one on my A/C unit. These newer units do not seem to have the longevity they enjoyed in the past. I personally budget for a new system every ten years or so...if by having good maintenance I get more years out of my system, that's great.

Basically, you take care of your stuff and it will take care of you.

Hope that helps, Frank D.

[RickeyD]

I would vote on having the HVAC people install, having stated that, they may balk at installing something you bought. This should be low voltage wiring, so you may be able to get by with a handyman, but you need to make sure they know what they are doing, so that they do not damage your AC control system.

If the OP knew enough to know what the handyman was doing, they should know enough not to hire a handyman. HVAC control wiring should be tackled by a pro only.

[paulat585]

Thank you all for your quick answers. There is no shut off valve on my unit, which I found out when the condensate line overflowed and ruined my newly-installed floors and a cabinet. I just bought this house, but the initial inspection says that the unit was installed in 2007. I will hire an HVAC company to do this per your advice.