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We have had to have our coil replaced the past two years in a row a few weeks after we go from cooling to heating. We have 2 UV lights shining on our coil at all times, no visible mold on coil, no visible mold in home, keep it clean and dusted fairly well, use 3M pleated filters. Try to keep the humidity down to 50 or lower.
Help, if anyone can suggest how to solve this please respond.
MMD
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Sorry somebody coned you in to buying two UV lights. Now take that 3m filter and put it in the trash and buy you a standard pleat. Have you had the coil cleaned? Is the smell only in heating mode?
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coil
Actually it was my idea, in desperation over this happening now for the 3rd yr. in a row, to get two lights. The odor comes now with the cooling cycle. The pleated filter is what we are using.
What type/brand filter do you recommend?
Thanks for responding,
MMD
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A 3 to 5 dollar pleat will work just fine!
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MMD, we have been having the same problems, since we replaced our old Bryant AC/coil with a new Trane in Aug '03.. Smell started Oct '04, Trane replaced coil with a second in Nov '04. It ran fine until this Oct '05. Now it's smelling again! I don't know what to do either. NO ONE seems to have an answer. We have had HVAC dealers, duct cleaners, mold remediation people, Trane reps., etc. all at our house....no one knows how it started nor how to fix it. Is your coil a Trane by any chance???
Kevin
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there are special coils used to replace those that have been determined to have the dirty sock syndrome..the coils are teflon coated,and are designed to retard the growth...i have replaced 2 in only 15 years in the field,but it has solved the problem both times
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Originally posted by too tall terry
there are special coils used to replace those that have been determined to have the dirty sock syndrome..the coils are teflon coated,and are designed to retard the growth...i have replaced 2 in only 15 years in the field,but it has solved the problem both times
I have inquired with a Trane dealer about these coated coils. He is suppose to check with Trane and get back to me this coming week.
MMD, have you checked into these coated coils?
Kevin
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DDSmell/Teflon Coated Coil
No one has ever mentioned these coils to me. This may be because I have chemical allergies and they are afraid I will react to the teflon.
Mine is happening the same time of year as yours. I wonder how safe the teflon coil is re: doesn't seem like it would off gas any teflon in the cooling season, but would there be any problem in the winter?
I am so sick of thinking about the air handler and waiting every year for it to start over with the mold smell. There is never an visible mold showing (I may have said that before).
I don't think throwing away my filter and getting a cheap pleated filter will solve the problem.
Let me know about the teflon coil. I guess you or I would not know if it works if we get one put in, until next year at this time. This happens around Thanksgiving when we get a cold snap and have to freeze for days because it takes a while to get a new coil scheduled...
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DDSyndrome
Not a trane, but a bryant...
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Re: DDSmell/Teflon Coated Coil
I don't think throwing away my filter and getting a cheap pleated filter will solve the problem.
[/B][/QUOTE]
No it will not fix the problem! But you will be closer to spect CFM
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spec CFM
"closer to spect CFM"
I do not know what that means. Could it mean better air flow?
Thanks,
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Trane Coil
Kevin,
Is you unit a heat pump? Ours is. I am wondering if this is a problem that heat pumps have more than regular units. I've heard yes and no by dealers.
Also, the filter type. I've been told the filter is good and not impeding air flow (not by the seller of the filter).
Ghads
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with DIRTY SOCK SYNDROME,homeowners will talk of an odor much like the smell of sweaty socks in a hamper,but this is usually during the defrost cycle,and not so much at the beginning of the heating season....you may simply be smelling the strip heaters burning off the summer build up that always tends to happen....to test this out,you might turn your t-stat to emergency heat setting and crank the heat all the way up,give the sequencers time to stage in the strip heaters and not only are you burning off any build up that might be present,you are also checking your back up/emergency heat...let the heat run for about 10-15 mins.,and any smelly build up should burn of for the heating season,also,the teflon coated coil is safe,....a good understanding of how and why a heat pump operates is critical to a home owner..i would suggest that you find a company in your area,and let them educate you....nothing meant by that all,it is just the more you know,the better off you are...good luck
[Edited by too tall terry on 11-13-2005 at 08:20 PM]
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In regards to the coated coils they are not treated with Teflon. The Technicoat coils use a phonelic coating which after a period of time will eventually cracks. The coating cracks because the coating has low elasticity properties and the expansion contraction of the material is less than the aluminum of the coil.
Bronz Glo coated coils use a material closer to rubber but still remains basically heat transparent. It has greater elasticity and will not crack. The Bronz Glo coated coils also have an anti-microbial mixed into the coating.
Contact Bronz-Glo in Florida and they can provide you with a contractor in your area that is an applicator. They also have spray cans of the coatings that can be applied with the coil in place by your local contractor. The spray cans are not as good as the immersed coil but it works fairly well.
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Post Likes - 1 Likes, 0 Dislikes
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i knew that someone would catch that,...i always call them teflon coated coils,but your post was very well stated,and i learned something or two...thanks
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DDSyndrome Emergency Heat
No offense taken, and we will try this. What happens is this. The weather turns cold and we start using the heater. It can take a few weeks, but as we use the heat, the smell starts and it is nasty mold smell, and has not gone away in the past two years until we replace the coil.
I've spoken with so many dealers/companies and no one has suggested what you did about turning the emergency heat on and we will try that.
What is your though on using the lesser filtering filter?
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"No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible"
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Bronz Glow Coated Coil
To your knowledge can coils coated in this material withstand UV Lights?
Will call company.
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To some extent they can withstand the "UV" rays but the rays will eventually break down any petrochemical product.
"UV" lights are basically worthless in any residential HVAC application. They are primarily a moneymaking product for companies. That is not to say the companies don't believe in them but there is no empirical data supporting their value and many solid studies to deny their viability.
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Post Likes - 1 Likes, 0 Dislikes
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Originally posted by classical
That is not to say the companies don't believe in them but there is no empirical data supporting their value and many solid studies to deny their viability.
Are there any links to these studies? I read a couple way back that attempted to prove benefit. Their methodology was dubious. But I haven't seen studies clearly proving no benefit. Just a smidge of common sense combined with little understanding of basic science it all one needs to know UV lights are usually worthless. But I like seeing the studies anyway.
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Re: Trane Coil
Originally posted by milkman's daughter
Kevin,
Is you unit a heat pump? Ours is. I am wondering if this is a problem that heat pumps have more than regular units. I've heard yes and no by dealers.
Also, the filter type. I've been told the filter is good and not impeding air flow (not by the seller of the filter).
Ghads
Milkman, our system is NOT a heat pump. And coincidentally (or not), our old AC and coil were Bryants (as is the original furnace, which we are still using). The word is that Dirty Sock Syndrome (DSS) is more prevelant in heat pump systems, but can happen in regular AC systems as well (like ours).
No offense to anyone on this board...please...but my experience in this last year+ (since our DSS problem began) has been that opinions on DSS are like belly buttons...everyone has one, but they're all different. I have been told I needed to replace my coil, I did...I needed to clean my coil, I did...I needed an expensive furnace cleaning (incl. blower motor, etc.), I did...I needed an entire new furnace, I DIDN'T...I needed to monitor my house humidity, I do (39-48%)...I needed to install a condensate pan disinfectant, I did...I needed cheap filters, I needed high Merv pleated filters, I needed something in between, I needed duct cleaning, I don't need duct cleaning.....you get the idea. Through all of this, only ONE time has someone entered my home and given me advice that did not entail making a big purcha$e. Milkman, I sense you feel you are running out of options and are frustrated. So are we, but let common sense and calm prevail, or you will find yourself in my position, with a huge moneypit in the basement of your home.
I don't think anyone knows what causes DSS, nor why, nor how to resolve it. If I had it to do over again, I would start with the small inexpensive things (like cleaning my furnace blower motor myself, using a little better filter (a pleated Merv 7 should be enough), etc. Replacing entire systems, etc. should be a last resort.