Moldy AC smell in house

[MommaMia]

My moldy smell AC saga.

 Today I needed to get to the bottom of the moldy smell I have been detecting in my house. To me, it was coming from one specific vent in my living room, near my favorite big cushy chair.

I had the duct work and ac unit inspected last week. They could find nothing in the duct work and said the small patch of wet insulation in the AC unit wasn't the likely cause of my mold smell.

But the guy gave me all the info I needed to clean the ac unit myself. He told me he has never met anyone (much less a woman) that did as much trouble shooting work on their ac problem. I followed him into the attic and everything. He said in 15 years NO ONE has ever done that!

 So today I completely took apart the ac unit, replaced some pulled away insulation, removed the blower and motor. I cleaned the blower which was gunky with dust but really didn't seem overloaded with moldy junk. 8 hours later, it's all back together and running.

The house has a really fresh clean smell, except for the one area in my living room near my big overstuffed chair I like to sit in. I can still smell mold. I was convinced as I had been from the beginning that it was coming from one vent in particular. But the ac guy had checked it and it was clean...I was sooo ready to cry.

I got up and started sniffing around again. There must be mold somewhere else. I smelled the air coming out of the vent and it smells good. But when I get over near the chair it starts to smell bad. I got on my hands and knees, sniffing the carpet. Nothing. Sniff chair. Nothing!  I move around and... There! I smell it! I stand up in front of the fireplace. Sniffed the mantle clock. Nope, not that. I get a little lower and I can smell it again. I opened the fireplace glass doors, thinking rain came down the flue. Nope. The flue was open (now who left that open?) but the fireplace is dry and smells like, well, a fireplace. I closed the doors and at that moment, the ac kicked on again and I got BLASTED by mold smell.

Holy Crap Marie! I found the smell culprit! The vent above the opening for the fireplace reeks! (It's one of those prefab fireplaces, not a brick one.)  It seems that every time the ac turns on, it draws air down the flue. I am guessing that the warm air coming down the flue is causing moisture to condense on the outside portion of the flue! The AC kicks on and it creats a suction or siphon effect ( like a garden sprayer) and is pulling the stinky smell into the room.... right near the chair I sit in! That's why I only smell it when the ac fan kicks on!

So tomorrow I think we'll have a nice roaring fire to try to burn off the nasties. What fun! A nice toasty fire in 90 degree August in Florida!

I am convinced now that I have found the problem!!!

Sigh... I feel so much better, even though right now it's still stinky in here!

[jpreiser]

Wow, good detective work, have a smore for me!!!:)

[MommaMia]

Fire is roaring away right now.  It's kinda neat!  I staarted it around 9 this am.  Sat in front of the fire, sipping my coffee.  Since I have the glass doors, I closed them and there is very little heat coming into the house.  The ac is on so it's quite comfy here.  Maybe I'll have a fire more often!

The smell is almost gone.  I am positive now that the fireplace vent was the culprit!

[vjm1639]

Hehehe....did ya warn your neighbors NOT to call the fire department when they saw smoke coming from your roof in summer??? LOLHonestly...I've done the same thing in past years when I use to have a fireplace...nothing like turning up the AC and havingan occasional cozy fire.  My ex thought I was nuts.  

[MommaMia]

Hehehe....did ya warn your neighbors NOT to call the fire department when they saw smoke coming from your roof in summer??? LOLHonestly...I've done the same thing in past years when I use to have a fireplace...nothing like turning up the AC and havingan occasional cozy fire.  My ex thought I was nuts.  

You know what?  I DID you let the neighbors across the street know what was going on.  They just moved in and were going in and out the garage, unpacking boxes.  They were sure to see the smoke billowing up from my house!

Bad news today though.  the mold smell is almost gone.  Almost is not good enough in my book.  I can't take the faceplate off the front of the vent.  It is set into the mortar with the surround tile set over that.  Dang.  Now what do I do?

[Civil_War_Buff]

I can't take the faceplate off the front of the vent.  It is set into the mortar with the surround tile set over that.  Dang.  Now what do I do?

Cindy,

Can you spray X-15 behind the plate?  The bleach solution will kill the mold spores but it has to be able to get to the mold.  If the mold grew because it got wet behind the plate, the same path could be used by the bleach solution, assuming you know how it got in to begin with.   Just a thought.

[BaysideBruce]

Have you ever had your chimmney cleaned??

[MommaMia]

Have you ever had your chimmney cleaned??

No.  We have been here just one year this month.  

But I wonder if that will even make a difference.  The smell is not coming down the chimney and in through the actual firebox.

[MommaMia]

Cindy,

Can you spray X-15 behind the plate?  The bleach solution will kill the mold spores but it has to be able to get to the mold.  If the mold grew because it got wet behind the plate, the same path could be used by the bleach solution, assuming you know how it got in to begin with.   Just a thought.

Yes, I can get spray in there.  But I was worried that since bleach is an oxidizing agent, it might rust the inside.  Behingd the plate.... it's a oopen area where you can see the flue pipe going up into the chimney.  There is a flashing there.  It's not open all the way into the chimney area.

I believe the moisture came from condensation since the flue was open and warm air had been being drawn into the house when the ac turned on. There is no leak, no water coming down the chimney.

I'll try to get the new camera working so I can post some pictures.

[birol]

You can rent me to figure out how to make it unsmell Pay my airfare and stuff and I will fix it around a week or so ! Definitely in time for my next court appearence

[MommaMia]

You can rent me to figure out how to make it unsmell Pay my airfare and stuff and I will fix it around a week or so ! Definitely in time for my next court appearence

B~  you can come visit anytime!  And you don't have to work here either.  Maybe a little getaway might do you good~

[birol]

I do not think I can leave Canada ...  Thanks for the offer ....

B~  you can come visit anytime!  And you don't have to work here either.  Maybe a little getaway might do you good~