Unico Question

Geno

If the unit was installed this March I have a hard time believing the pan is smelling already. Maybe the condensate drain is near/in the septic. If it is move it. Make sure the trap is right and fill it with water before use. I've heard the fibre ducts can smell so I only use metal ducts. If the smell is like death maybe a mouse got in before everything was buttoned up and died. Hope not. Good luck.
Geno

James_2

Unico System w/ bad smell

I have a friend who had a Unico system installed in March. Since it was installed he gets a terrible smell from the diffusers. He is being told that this is caused by moisture in the diffuser tubes. They are telling him that he must install the covers between use. I could see maybe at the end of the season, but not everytime he turns it off and on during the early part of the cooling season in Michigan. He has not gotten any solid answers from the Factory, the Mfg rep or the contractor. The contractor is frustrated, they install a lot of these systems and have never had this kind of situation. They have replaced many of the the diffusers and still have the problem. My friend is installing new insulation in the attic.(R-42) Just to be sure. He has spent a lot of money on this installation and hasn't even gotten into the middle of summer. Are we missing something or has anyone had a similiar experience?

Guy_5

Smells

One thing that your friend may want to check is the condensate drains. I have seen people dump the drains into the septic vent stack. This can allow the sewer smells to infiltrate the A/C unit. It's all downhill from there.

Mark Hunt

Condensation


It sounds like your friend has condensation building up in the ducts in the attic. This is caused by warm, moist air rising into the ducts through the vent terminations and condensing inside.

Increasing his R-value will help AS LONG AS the ducts are covered with the insulation. I would also recommend closing the vents in the winter months for added protection.

Hope this helps.

Mark H

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Floyd_3

I have seen....

Unico units that have aquired a scum or algae like crap in the condensate pan... espec. if the pan isn't sloped correctly.....try spray the coil with a clorox solution or a commercially available coil algae killer ( much more expensive).

At any rate with the clorox it will make the system smell better for a while :-)

I have been wanting to install one of the new UV lights in a Unico and see what that does for me, but am always running out of time and money :-)

So much to do.... so little time.....

John T_2

Smells

I like others have noted would check the condensate drain connection. The Unico unit MUST have a trap installed in the drain piping and should be filled with water. The coil (and drain connection) are on the return side of the blower and if there is no trap installed or it is dry it could suck sewer gas into the unit. Where in Michigan are you? We service most of southeastern Michigan and can do an inspection/evaluation should you require it.


John Taylor

Custom Climate Systems, Inc.
Whitmore Lake, Michigan

Earthfire

> Unico units that have aquired a scum or algae

> like crap in the condensate pan... espec. if the

> pan isn't sloped correctly.....try spray the coil

> with a clorox solution or a commercially

> available coil algae killer ( much more

> expensive).

>

> At any rate with the clorox it

> will make the system smell better for a while

> :-)

>

> I have been wanting to install one of the

> new UV lights in a Unico and see what that does

> for me, but am always running out of time and

> money :-)

>

> So much to do.... so little

> time.....

Earthfire

Clorox?

That nasty clorine will do wonders at eatting the aluminum fins. Clorox or other brand bleach to clean and disinfect the drain pan and condensate drain is ( with thourough rinsing)okay in my opinion but I wouldn't use it on a coil except in extreme cases. As for the condensate line itself, we come across quite a few that do not have properly installed traps, and MOST that are connected to a stack do not have a code required trapped air gap. Oh by the way the condensate trap must be primed upon installation and seasonal start up. A cup of clean water will do the trick.

Henry Dowd

Bad Smell

Nobody mentioned the problem of a trap that is dried or not properly primed. A suggestion for an environment where freezing is not an issue is to have a trap primer ensuring that the trap doesn't go dry.A great location for the trap is a second floor laundry room or an accessible wet wall on the second floor with an access panel. I never connect to a vent stack because as we all know if something can go wrong, it will (trap dries out, etc.)