Central A/C condensation mildew problem
pedant
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 23,576
Likes: 40
From: EXTREME southwest CT
I'm not an HVAC guy just a contractor who's dealt with problems for almost 30 years.
I'm surprised your return air is not ducted and isolated from combustion air.
Perhaps the intake can be ducted through a wall into an adjacent room separating it from the air needed for combustion?
I'm surprised your return air is not ducted and isolated from combustion air.
Perhaps the intake can be ducted through a wall into an adjacent room separating it from the air needed for combustion?
Last edited by ArdWrknTrk; Aug 1, 2011 at 07:35 PM. Reason: sloppy post, phone keys are small. :o
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Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,313
Likes: 12
From: Northeast LA
The intake does have a vent to suck air through the wall behind the unit, but there is a space between the "shelf" the unit sits on and the door to the closet. I didn't think about it til I was explaining it. I know air is having to be sucked through that two inch gap. Just like when you walk by a closed bedroom door and you can feel the air blowing on your feet from under the door. The intake has to be pulling air through the vent in the back wall, the vent in door, and down from the attic through those vent holes (left for the combustion when the heater is on) and since that is such a narrow passage between the shelf and the door I bet the air that's being sucked down from the attic is rushing.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,936
Likes: 9
From: Acworth, GA
I work for IR/Trane. and sell HVAC parts and supplies in GA. I do run into people from time to time with issues such as this. I do not know how inclined you are to do your own home repairs. If you are so inclined, then like I said before, I would get several HVAC contractors to access the situation and tell you what they would do to correct the issues. Then I would take all of the information, sort through it and decide upon a plan of action. Even if you do some of the work and farm some of it out, you could save yourself a considerable amount. Good luck.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
If it's open to hot humid attic air, and it gets on any cold part of the unit - the humidity will condense out.
The only thing coming into the unit should be ducting, if the whole ceiling is open above it I would change that first so that only inflow air in proper ducts come into the space, the unit should be designed with a pan to drain any condensation INSIDE the unit much like some water heaters have an overflow pan under them.
But A/C units should have all of that contained internally. The only condensation you should ever see is a drip from the drain line.
(If it doesn't drain through the existing house plumbing drains)
SECUNDUM!
The main house itself may be too humid.
If that is true a DEHUMIDIFIER (possibly installed in the same space) may be required
The only thing coming into the unit should be ducting, if the whole ceiling is open above it I would change that first so that only inflow air in proper ducts come into the space, the unit should be designed with a pan to drain any condensation INSIDE the unit much like some water heaters have an overflow pan under them.
But A/C units should have all of that contained internally. The only condensation you should ever see is a drip from the drain line.
(If it doesn't drain through the existing house plumbing drains)
SECUNDUM!
The main house itself may be too humid.
If that is true a DEHUMIDIFIER (possibly installed in the same space) may be required
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