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James A/C Co./Home
Diagnosis of problems
Understanding refrigeration
Homeowner helpful hints
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Honeywell® Thermostats
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Unit Heaters
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James A/C Co.
serving Do-It-Yourselfers since 1990.
Satisfying every customer....one at a time!
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Call toll free 1-866-584-0355 or 1-903-759-2160 fax 903-759-4605
309 Patriot Circle, Longview, TX 75604-2240
THINGS TO CHECK IF BAD ODORS COME FROM COOLING SYSTEM:
- Fungal Infestation within the heater, cooling coil and ducts is the most common problem when
smells come from the system's air flow. See the details of this fungal invader from one of the other pages of
this site and use your back button to return here if you desire. Fungi, algae and molds are becoming more common inside the new high
efficiency systems and many of the older models as well. Some will produce unpleasant odors when heated and others will produce odors
just as bad even in the cooling mode. The page mentioned above will inform you of the details of this terrible problem with more
information than you may want to know.
There is a really good product now available to help with this problem. It is a disinfectant, fungicidal, anti-bacterial deodorant
spray you can safely apply to the inside of your system yourself. It was available in a spray bottle or by the gallon but has recently
been difficult to find in the spray or gallon sizes. Most readily available products in small quantity containers seem to not do as well
in the eradication of the problems.
- Burned wires can be anywhere and may be the very problem. Check for these carefully and
repair any that you find. As a wire flows high current it naturally produces heat, but if a connection is poor and loose, it will
heat up tremendously. The outer coating will melt and the process of destruction of the wire and its coating will move backward
toward the source gradually, but sometimes rather rapidly, depending on the load and the heat produced.
These can be dangerous. Be very careful when you suspect this problem. Turn off all power to the appliance before you even open the
door to the controls. The burned wire may be touching the frame of the heater or control panel door. Most of these major burn repairs
will require an experienced technician.
- Burned wires elsewhere, may circulate their smell with the moving air of the heater and make
it difficult to locate them. Be persistent in your search. Any smell within the house will circulate with the air. It can be
anything, almost.
I once discovered terribly burned wires in an outside breaker panel that was flush-mounted in the wall and the odor was drawn through
the wall and through a receptacle box in the inside wall by the negative air pressure within the house and it circulated with the heater
air. I looked hard and long before I discovered the origin of the smell. Note: Burned wires or insulation within a wall can be especially
dangerous. Take the appropriate actions to eliminate the cause.
TIP:
If a wire in burned at a terminal of a relay,
control module or other sensitive locations, chances are the part will have to be replaced. If you replace the wire and not the
part, the part may fail later. |
- Return air leaks within the platform for the heater or a leaking return air duct can draw in
almost any kind of smell in the closet. Seal the leakage of air and remove the items from the closet or area near the return.
- Sewer gases may be drawn into the drain line of an electric heater. Usually with electric heat,
the drain is on the suction side of the blower. If the drain is not trapped or if the trap is dry from months
of winter time use, then sewer gases may be pulled right into the blower and circulated throughout the house. Not only is this
undesirable and unpleasant, but is can be very dangerous to your health. Consult a good air conditioning technician or plumber.
Adding a trap to the drain can be tricky and may require a professional.
If the trap is simply dry, then you can add water to it and solve the problem yourself. These traps will dry out in the winter
months. Normally you will not experience this in the cooling mode. Of course, sewer gas is not supposed to be present at the location
where the air conditioner drain is connected, but.....
- Water seepage from some other cause having migrated to the return air chamber or even to
just the closet floor may contain odors along with algae and fungus and the smell is being drawn into the return air of the system.
- Bath rooms cannot and should not be connected in any way to the return air system. If a unit
is installed with an adjoining wall to a bath room, make special effort to seal the wall. No unit should be installed in a bathroom
closet. The same principle applies to kitchens.
- Drain line clogged and overflowing will create some terrible smells. This is especially true
if the problem is the sewer drain overflowing due to a backup.
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Honeywell®
VisionPro® IAQ
whole house control
Honeywell®
FocusPro
non-programmable
in2 Energy ICM®
Connects Thermostat to Computer and Internet.
Honeywell®
Electronic Air Cleaner
Honeywell®
Media Filters
Honeywell®
UV Lights & Bulbs
Honeywell®
Carbon Monoxide
Alarms
Honeywell®
Electronic Air Cleaner
Replacement Cells
Honeywell®
LineVoltPRO™
programmable
Honeywell
Rectangular Zone Dampers
Honeywell
Round Zone Dampers
Reznor
Infrared Heaters
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