How to prevent mold from building up in Air Conditioner?

[BoomBoom]

Hello! I will have a window ac installed at my place. I live in Southern California where the weather is drier but being a constant worrier, I still get paranoid about mold possibly building up in the AC and harming my birds. I plan to clean the filter monthly. I also selected a model that drains water outside (instead of sitting in an interior condensate pan).

I was looking for other ways to prevent mold from having a foot hold. Are there any safe, commercial sprays I can use? Are there better natural alternatives (i.e. white vinegar or alcohol)? Am I worrying over nothing perhaps? I would appreciate any and all feedback. Thank you!

 

[charmedbyekkie]

Oh my goodness! I had never thought of this, and I live in a tropical country where is 24/7 aircon all year long. And considering the humidity where I live, perhaps I should really be concerned.

Does anyone know? I know most offices have their aircons serviced every other month, but it's mostly just dissembling, washing the parts with regular water, and vacuuming the inside.

 

[SailBoat]

The goal is to assure that the window mounded Air Conditioning unit has a slight angle down and away from the window frame. Most will have a folded down lip near the center of the back, outer, lower part of the frame. Any build-up in water will drip or run out of the lower frame at that point.

If your conditions have the unit run running near continuously, one can (with great care) drill one hole near each back corner of the lower frame. Great care must be taken to assure that the drill bit does not hit any part of the compressed gas system. If this happens, you just trashed the unit.

Most big box stores sell an adjustable mounting bracket that screws to the base of the window sill and allows the adjustment of the unit and a very safe way of placing the unit into the window since it holds the vast majority of the units weight.

Remember to insulate the opening on either side of the unit. (50 mm, (2") foam board) cut to fit the opening with little to no adjustment of the units side slides. Most important is the gap between the upper and lower sections of the window. Use soft foam stripes to fill this gap.


NOTE: Assuring that the water does not build-up will vastly limit any mold.

 

[charmedbyekkie]

Wait, are we talking which type of aircon units? https://airconservicingsingapore.info/different-types-of-aircon-commonly-found-in-singapore/

I remember growing up in the US, we always used window units, but I thought things might have changed to the Split Aircon types like SG has.

 

[BoomBoom]

@Charmed, I'm talking about the first unit displayed on your link (window AC).

@Sailboat, I'm having a handyman install it for me. I'll be sure to ask him to tilt it so the back end is slightly lower.

Any other tips for mold prevention? I saw these pan cleaner tablets that you drop in the AC's condensate drain pan but I don't know how safe they are: https://www.amazon.com/Outland-Air-Conditioner-Cleaner-Tablets/dp/B000KM3BUY

 

[SailBoat]

Its kind of like Real Estate, but its Application, Application, Application. In fly over country, we have longer periods with less or no use. This allows the unit to dry-out and that eliminates the problem. If your application has more run time than not, you can have some water sitting in the base and that could lead to mold.

The product you reference is fine. You will likely have to crumb it to place the bits where the water sets. NOTE: It also requires that you have access to back, outside of the unit and that is commonly a problem, unless the unit is in a low setting first floor window.

I understand that you are having your unit installed. All the more reason to obtain one of those mounting /adjustment brackets. It will cost you a bit more for the first installation, but save you each time in the future. Plus, your installer can set the proper angle.

Enjoy!

 

[wrench13]

I am inveterate hole driller. All my window A/C units have the holes drilled into them by me, because I did not do it the first time I installed an AC unit into my house, and it was so humid that year the drain pan could not keep up and we had water dribbling between the walls into my basement ceiling, causing all sorts of damage. As Boats says do it carefully so as to not puncture a vital part of the unit.