Air Conditioner smells like urine whe first starting up

[Sesquipedalian]

Why would window air conditioners smell like urine when first started up after being shut off for a while? I own LG window air conditioners and they are not in a position for anyone to urinate on them. This is the 3rd season I had them and it happened last year also. I do clean the screens on them.

That is the closest smell that I can use to explain what it is like. It seems to go away after it runs for a while.

[Guest ahammer48]

Hello

Most likely its mold.  Other then the smell does the unit seem to be operating properly?

If possible take the unit outside and remove its casing and wash it out with a hose.:poison: Naturally the unit should be un-plugged before doing this. I have found dead things(birds,mice,etc) inside units so B prepared 4 that. Look @ the wiring while U have the casing off and make sure U don't C any melted wires.

Make sure unit is completly dry before restoring power to it.

Hope this helps:)

[applianceman18007260692]

you sure you aint got a pet chihuahua?

 

[jehiatt]

It has to be the condensate in the bottom pan not fully draining out and the dust and dirt is growing things and turning sour.  The air flow goes right back over that water.The AC unit also has to have a small drop in the back side to make the condensed water  drain out. The rear drain hole needs to be checked for blockage. I  drilled four or five more holes in the rear bottom of my window unit. I had to be sure I didn't drill into the condenser coil or any component.

 You say you clean them? Was that with AC coil cleaner which has a germicide to help kill the growth?  After I drilled the holes my urine smell left town.

[Poobah]

jehiatt is right on the ball...alot of times you will either have no drain holes or ones hat are inadequate....drill em alittle bigger and add a few extras just for good measure...

[Pegi]

Ok, problems here with this a/c thread.....yes the air will smell bad coming out of window units if they are not cleaned every year, and they have to hold water in the back pan to help remove the heat from the freon lines and keep the compressor cooled down....the reason for the smell is lack of maintance on the unit....repair all of the holes drilled in the pan with some sort of epoxy, this pan has to hold the water that drains from the front evaperator area, your problem is not the water being retained in the unit but not having the units cleaned every year,  The window units have built in over flows for when the humidity is high and the pan gets too full,  but the unit has to have this water for proper cooling....if you do not repair those holes to allow the water to collect in the back pan area you will be having a compressor problem sooner than later as it will be overheating and burning out internally.

[jehiatt]

[user=533]Pegi[/user] wrote:

Ok, problems here with this a/c thread.....yes the air will smell bad coming out of window units if they are not cleaned every year, and they have to hold water in the back pan to help remove the heat from the freon lines and keep the compressor cooled down....the reason for the smell is lack of maintance on the unit....repair all of the holes drilled in the pan with some sort of epoxy, this pan has to hold the water that drains from the front evaperator area, your problem is not the water being retained in the unit but not having the units cleaned every year,  The window units have built in over flows for when the humidity is high and the pan gets too full,  but the unit has to have this water for proper cooling....if you do not repair those holes to allow the water to collect in the back pan area you will be having a compressor problem sooner than later as it will be overheating and burning out internally.

I wrote two replys already and both disappeared. I can't paste from MS word where I can save it. I can"t find the webmaster either. Too much work for a third time.

Anyway - you missed some useful info