nasty black mold spores 🤒 in window air conditioner
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- Take off the plastic front grille and inspect the styrofoam ducts for specks and spots of black mold, which can cause breathing problems and sickness. The back of the AC unit holds the condensate drip pan, from which mold spores travel into the front area, which has the blower fan and evaporator coil. Then, the dangerous, harmful mold gets blasted into your indoor air and lungs.
Watch my video how to drill drain hole in pan:
• Window AC Air Conditio...
Planned obsolescence with the water, trapped, and the sling ring to cool, the condenser. in theory, it’s a great idea in practice. It turns your condenser into a cemented mud wall. really a shit idea in a dusty environment. Ideally, they should design it with an assisted pump to push air through filter then you would never run into problems with the condenser or evaporator plugging
I got so sick from this stuff. I didn't know what was happening to me. I felt like I was getting poisened each day that went by. I kept feeling sick and I'd lay in bed and get worse and my fiance mentioned mold and I had all the symptoms of it. The minute I got out of the room I started feeling better throughout the day but my head still hurts and I feel a little congested but this is no joke. I felt like I was slowly dying. I was so scared and never thought it was the a.c. until my brother came in yesterday and got sick today and my fiance only slept in the room and would feel sick Only when I turned on the a.c. but for me he left it on and I never knew mold could grow like this in the a.c. and boy I don't even want to be in my room at all cause I don't wanna feel like that again. I wished I knew about this. I don't think I'll ever put another a.c. in my home again. Clean or not. I suffered and I'm still suffering with a headache. I'm exhausted. This was the worst experience of feeling sick I've ever had. Please be safe with these a.c.'s. I just want to get back to normal and I thank God for this caused I prayed hard and it came together like a puzzle today. Thank you Jesus for helping me figure it out and thank you for your video.❤❤
Earthangel 143 how long were you exposed for??
You are absolutely right. Me too, I feel like I'm dying.
Also, people STOP using bleach, it releases the spores into the air. Look into this. I've read Hydrogen Peroxide is better?! Please check into first before using bleach.
Glad you're feeling better, but I personally don't want to be _without_ a/c on these hot summer days and nights ever again. I only discovered mold in mine tonight, after all these years. I'll just have to stay on top of cleaning more than the filter ( which looked terrible 😂 ).
I learned so much from your video...especially why our family has been breathing mouldy air from all 4 of our window a/c’s for at least 7 years...no wonder my daughter has allergies un-diagnosed until now, and constant headaches! Thank you...the units are all going to the landfill now.
Thanks for posting. Helping educate someone about dangers of mold & how to keep window ACs operating safely and mold-free make the videos worthwhile. Nice profile pic.
Thanks...I really appreciated your info and deno..:)
We moved, and again and another aircondisher with mold!!! I was so sick! Landlord don't always clean what they say. I knew it had to the aircondisher again,I tried to clean it,looking in all full of mold!! I told my boyfriend, we need to take it outside to clean. The landlord came by spraying it said it was now clean! No, we took it out, I can't believe it, was so full of mold! Now it works great! Just a note, please always check out you're aircondishers when you move! That will save you from being sick!God bless you all!😗
Midway through my 30s I'm learning about mold in window AC units. I felt like this was never a problem for me before, but it must have been. I also feel like out of everyone I talk to, nobody knows about this! But they must be dealing with it or suffering through it too.
I have had my AC units professionally cleaned. Waste of money. I have taken them apart and done my best to clean this inside and out. Waste of time. I am about to toss my second window AC unit after me and my partner especially got sick from mold over the past couple of summers.
I have bought drain tablets and used them in a new unit and they maybe might be helping.
What I feel is most important after doing that preventative measure is:
1) turn FAN ON after using cooling so as to blow excess moisture out and so that there is no standing water.
2) clean the unit inside and out as best as you can after every season and before storage. I would not use bleach unless you are very careful to only get it on the styrofoam (also, styrofoam, what the hell, everybody knows that can't be a good sign).
3) Do not drill a hole in the back for drainage. Unfortunately the water is necessary for cooling off the unit during use.
These things are constructed with planned obsolescence in mind, especially the cheaper ones (and I mean under $1000, so unless you're spending a fortune on real-deal AC units, this will be a problem for you). The conspiracy of AC manufacturers is based around getting us to keep buying new units! With that in mind, if you plan ahead and know that you're going to be replacing these things every year or two or three, don't buy super expensive ones. Shop around for sure, but I imagine you'd rather have to spend $200 every couple of years than $600.
It is also important to get the right size for your room. Don't aim up thinking the unit will be more powerful. Don't go low thinking it'll do the job just fine. Get the BTUs you need.
Geez, weeks of my life stolen by AC units. Beats being hot though right?
Thanks for your video.
I pour some BestAir 3BT, Original BT Humidifier Bacteriostatic Water Treatment in the rear pan from outside to keep the mold and bacteria from building up. Do it every week one cup.
When I turn off our window units, like at night, I always turn them on to fan only mode, let them run til the water inside dries "usually 10-15 mins. Haven't had any mold issues, and been using the same ac's for years. I've seen people just turn off their's, leaving the water sitting inside, and within a few weeks, black mold is everywhere. I do spray my coils down with a mild cleaner at the start and end of summer. But letting them dry out before turning them off, seems to do the trick for us. Also, I agree with you about the separation, the drip pan runs from inside to out, so not much separation there.
David D that's a great idea do u think that would work with the dry mode on ac as well as a dehumidifier?
cobain/ vedder the dry mode runs the ac to remove a set amount of moisture, so you could turn on fan only mode after it was done to dry out the inside. As for a dehumidifier, not sure they have a fan only mode.
Thanks!!
omg that is so simple, why have I never thought of it! Thanks!
When I use 'Fan only" my room warms back up. Seems to defeat the purpose of getting it cooled down. Am I missing something?
Question: What are the clumps of black mold that grow on the fan behind the front fins and the piping the refrigerant grows through, that actually blows air out into the room? You called it the blower fan.
Throw it out.
@@p1nesap Why, thanks for the helpful and well thought out reply, Epic!
In my experience a new one would same have the same packed clumps of black mold on the fan. Just want to know what it is.
Thank you so much for being thorough. I always love an opportunity to learn how things work. Better understanding is always a plus!
Thanks for posting and enjoy your AC.
You're actually not to put to put them on the back Auto sides are upside down it causes the oil to go into the this is not good on them you have to let them sit so long if you have it upside down
Dude idc how the ac works I just need to get the mold out. I'd suggest getting to the point quicker
Jennifer Stines OK take ac apart and wash all the mold out. Best just to buy a new one.
My exact thoughts!
Cool & Quiet didn't mean it to be rude just being honest. It really is so worth a new one!Thanx
@@ayipapel2257 Nice people skills. Good luck with that. 🙄
just throw it out and get a new one, like how you do with your baby's daddies
...wow. this is just a three minute video. maybe if you understood how the "ac works" you wouldn't develop mold in the first place
Mine was 30 yrs old n i about passed out when i saw that much build up behind coils. It looked like black mulch but was chunky mold. This AC is covered under carport n no leaves or rain can get in it. Omg its ac140# beast. I took it outside n sprayed it several times making bleach mix stronger n stronger until it ate the mold. I sprayed it over whole thing except electric box was covered w plastic. I wish i cld add. Before n After pic on here to show that cup of crap i removed
Thanks for posting your descriptive account of the disgusting AC. I got a $10 Freon unit a while ago, and the seller wasn't honest, so I ended up giving that thing an overall. It's on my channel somewhere.
Sir, Can we Use " White Vinegar or White Vinegar + Baking Soda Powder or Distilled Water " To Clean the AC Indoor Unit Coils and Outdoor Unit Coils? Sai Praveen Cinema. From India.
HI Sai, white vinegar and baking soda is an excellent, non-toxic cleaning solution. Best regards, Paul
Bro I'm in an an apt my ac is filled with mole they said the would change me to remove them lol
But did offer to CLEAN
but it's so nasty wish you could see the pictures I have
Green-black mold that's infiltrated all up in the styrofoam etc can't be cleaned. Time to buy new AC & use disinfecting pan tablets often to prevent mold, or remove drain plug. Good luck.
mine started short cycling and it blew cold af so i knew it wasnt the coolant, took out the front filter and looked at the condensor and holy hell its clogged with wet moldy residue, no wonder hwy the temperature sensor was not working
Good job diagnosing the problem 👍
I can't believe I just bought my ac not too long ago and it already has mold. There's styrofoam on the inside of the ac and how does 1 clean the mold off that?
If styrofoam ductwork is coated in black/green mold you should either throw out the ac, or unscrew metal chassis to access the mold & clean it out. That's a lot of work but as you see in video it can be done. Get it all!
Moving forward, use pan tabs regularly, or leave drain plug out, or drain it regularly to prevent this happening again. Good luck.
Like Hilary posted below, I too have drilled holes in window AC pans to facilitate water drain. The majority of the public is ignorant of the issue of water that sits in the bottom of the pan leading to mold and mildew growth. The last time I removed and cleaned a window unit it was filled with slimy mold.
this is yet another reason vintage units are better, although they can absolutely still get mold, the inside and outside are better separated and the ducts are metal as opposed to styrofoam, so alot better to clean, not to mention, motors you can oil, and reciprocating compressors that last alot longer.
Thanks for the heads-up; interesting to read difference of reciprocating vs. rotary compressors.
I called the professionals in one ax they found mold On the other no maybe bc on the other I turned on the heat and on the outside heat killed the mold but inside it’s still bad .. or they would know if there is still mold and stuff
Good you got them inspected. Mold is bad news.
Dont mix Bleach with Vinegar .
Right, only mix bleach with water.
I checked mine and there was black stuff in the styrofoam area. I cleaned what I could. But there is still some where I can't reach. What should I do? I can't afford a new one this year and I need it.
Have someone help you get the mold out or come up with $200 to buy cheap new ac. Good luck.
TwistedRose q
I needed a very small ac to fit my window. I was able to install this one only using one of the side panels. I like the Eco feature where the AC cycles on and off maintaining a room temperature.
I turned on my ac last night after a month of it being off... and woke up with this black mist looking dust EVERYWHERE in my house... I checked the filter on the window ac unit and it was totally BLACK I cleaned it with water and it turned into some oily it was definitely not dirt or normal dust
Is it dangerous could it had been mold???
I now have two window units in my apt. It's not hot too long here in beautiful Prince Edward Island Canada (east coast by Nova Scotia). However from June till end of September and sometimes even October humidity levels can make it feel as hot as 35℃-40℃ or 94-98,℉. I have been noticing my asthma acting up a lot, only at night time when I run the big 13,000BTU unit. I looked at it thinking about mildew and confirmed my suspicions. Thanks for the info, today I have a job to do.
Ty Mac wow I'm glad this video helped you. Mold is serious business with the lungs, and that's why I keep drain hole open (at expense of efficiency & possible longevity of unit). Currently running AC 24/7 in same humid conditions, south of you in Maine. Looks like we're in for more this week. Thanks for posting.
My unit is about 8 years old in my room, which is where I spend most of my time. I've had this cough for a year probably. I saw the front vent looks moldy, but I couldn't get it off for cleaning. Outside where the unit drops water is green mold. I just through out the whole unit and bought a brand new one. Maybe it's the placebo effect, but I feel better already in about 1 hour. I always clean the filter, but I really didn't know it was that serious to bleach clean the rest of it. I will from now on. Buying a new air purifier too. The cough was starting to get more serious the last few days.
Definitely not placebo effect, that sounds pretty serious. Throwing out in trash & buying new was best option. If you run it with drain plug in, use condenser pan tablets regularly. Thanks for posting.
Maybe you had Rona
@@paulette3269 That was 2019. Supposedly before Covid hit.
Will spraying the area with scented Lysol get rid of the mold?
No
Vinegar! Kills mold spores ...
My apartment has put in a used dirty window ac. It has black spots on the vents. I wiped it off with a cloth and bleach but it smells horrible today when I turn on the ac. I will have to tell the maintenance man about it. I've also been coughing alot all day.
If there's black mold inside (use flashlight) throw it out ASAP & buy a new one. Over seen 3 free ACs on the street this week (end of season here). All were mold infested. That's why they're free.
My bedroom AC developed black mold last summer due to a drainage issue. Fortunately, I’ve found no evidence of the spores taking hold anywhere in the room, but I’m surprised I didn’t become more sick considering I was diagnosed with a mold allergy as a child.
Good thing you checked it out. Many ppl don't. I saw a nice GE AC on the street yesterday, with a filter that hadn't been cleaned in who knows how long. Otherwise looked decent. It was a 6200 BTU. I passed it up bc I already have 2, and if I keep collecting these things I won't have any room in small apt. Stay cool.
Mine is like completely covered in black mold and slime I cleaned it today but I think it's time for a new AC
Definitely.
Having mold issues with Friedrich Chill model. The evaporator fins in front have tiny mold mushrooms growing. The Finns are very thin and tight together. Any recommendations on how to thoroughly clean this. Thanks
If mold is on the fins, you've got mold inside the unit. Remove the metal case and thoroughly inspect with flashlight. Clean by blasting unit inside and out with vinegar OR diluted bleach solution. Let solution sit a while then rinse and dry thoroughly. Good luck friend.
What do I do when I live in a rental and its a thru wall unit amd I can't take it out to clean it?
Contact building owner and manager.
How about wall ac unit
You mean split system? If so you can afford to hire a tech.
Is there anyway to recover an AC that has black mold? Can one really clean it well enough?
Good question, is the duct work smooth, or cheap styrofoam like my unit? If the former, you can disassemble AC and wash down with bleach. If the latter, and black mold is really bad, cut your losses and buy another AC. Last summer, a neighbor offered me a late-model Frigidaire, that was _infested_ with black mold. I said no thanks. A few specks here and there is one thing, but if you're gonna be spending hours to take apart and clean...might not be worth time/trouble.
Dumb question but what is the duct work? We were able to take it apart and there wasn't that much styrofoam...washed it w bleach and then sprayed water to remove any bleach residue. The one area we couldn't get perfectly clean was the area where the water pools. But close enough.
you're good...re-assemble and enjoy cool air :)
It can be done (I've done it - left streaks and spots of mold down my driveway after finishing.). I recommend coating everything with vinegar before the final assembly. The time you spend cleaning definitely offsets the cost of a large window or through-the-wall unit.
@@p1nesap Im so glad to hear others mentioning Frigidare a/c 's and the black mold issue. It had styrofoam inside that was covered with it. Drainage hole was so tiny my brother drilled another hole to help with drainage. The a/c had great features & quiet. Sadly, I wont be buying Frigidare brand again. Does this brand still use styrofoam inside ? Is that commonly used in most a/cs ?
I've been so sick lately and the stupid thing is full of mold. I just bought a new one and I'm trying to figure out how to keep it from getting the same issue.
Remove drain plug or use pan tabs regularly.
I drill a hole and something exploxed i think it was a line. And it doesnt blow cold anymore. Do you think if i solder the line that will fix my problem?
Omar Argullin you punctured a refrigerant line. The explosion was the pressurized refrigerant. Sealing the hole IF you were able would Not solve the problem as it needs to be recharged with new refrigerant.
Lolll might as well throw it out bud
I can’t get my plastic grill of either of my units what do I do?! It’s so humid today in western MA and both of my units have black mold. I sprayed in the grill with bleach the best I could and not sure what to do next
*Black mold is a serious concern.* If you don't have $200 for a new AC, ask around for a used one with no mold. Inspect it first with a flashlight. I was offered a mint Frigidaire for $35 last summer and turned it down...wish I hadn't as I ended up buying a new LG for $200 a few weeks ago. Good luck and pls check back when you get it sorted out.
Our window units are almost 2 years old and we just found that they are filled with mold. We cleaned what we could see but had a service person come and look and when he slid the whole unit out of the sleeve there was a crazy amount of mold and dirt. I replaced our 3 unit after 3 years of use for the same reason and Pc Richards where we purchased new units with extended warrantys didn't say anything about this being part of r life of ac units as I've learned too late. The new and cheaper units seem to all have styrofoam. I'm going to ask the company to replace these units as I feel really mislead (and stupid!) but would like your advice on what units to buy that are not made with styrofoam so they can be thoroughly cleaned each season vs being replaced every year! Many thanks in advance.
I've cleaned my "through the wall" Fredreich units. It's a bit time consuming, and requires tools and patience, but your unit can be cleaned. I think most every ac unit is made with styrofoam today...
Remove the unit from the wall. Take it outside. Begin taking it apart. Believe me, the whole unit comes apart sans the refrigeration circuit - even the hamster wheel blower and foam air ducts. Take your time. Study it. Some plastic parts may have become brittle from sun exposure. Use your garden hose and detergent to start. Work your way up to vinegar. Keep on using the garden hose to wash the mold spots away.
After you've cleaned everything there is to clean (and there's lots), you can put vinegar in a spray bottle and coat everything with it. Then you can put the unit back together, and re-install.
The key is to stay of top of it.
Thank you for validating this exact a.c. unit issue in my kids college dorm room. Just awful. And yes, she's been sick with lung issues coupled with strep throat more recently.
DJ Sorry to hear that...window ACs are great but need to be monitored/maintained for mold problems.
Thanks Paul! Yesterday I educated the maintenance department at the University. They replaced the entire unit with a brand new one :)
Score!
Nice