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smell from vents when heat or ac is turned on

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 6:17 pm
by pnm2001
ok, I noticed Im not the only one with this problem.
we bought a 10 yr old double wide (totally NEW to the mobile home thing), and we noticed a HORRIBLE sewage-like, porta-potty, SMELL that comes from 2 vents (master bathroom and dining room-off kitchen).....
after lots of internet search and calling plumbers, AND having the Septic Tank inspectors tell me tank is working fine, we THOUGHT maybe it was the "auto-vents" in the bathrooms and kitchen......
we replaced all of them......no help at all!!
there is NO smell UNTIL you turn on the a/c or the heater......
I took my camera and bravely stuck it in the stinky vents......nothing but spider webs and dirt.......no mold, no dead mice...no sign of water in them.....
whereeeeeee is this smell coming from?!?!?!
it is so bad I can't stand it! (especially in the morning when you turn on the heater)
the unit is a "INTERTHERM" 10 years old......where does this draw air from?? is it possible it's sucking up stink from the septic tank?
HELP!!
thanks for any advice!
Mindy

RE: smell from vents when heat or ac is turned on

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 7:41 pm
by Robert
Hi Mindy,

Is your furnace electric heating elements or gas ?

Have you inspected every register ?


Have you inspected the underbelly underneath your home ?


Have you inspected the cross-over duct underneath your home ?


MOST common for this would be the crossover coming loose or torn

underneath and pulling smell from under the home (may be wet,

mildewed, moldy, etc.) up into the trunkline and registers.


Are the smelly registers/areas on same side/half of home as the

furnace ?



Thanks,
Robert

RE: smell from vents when heat or ac is turned on

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 7:50 pm
by pnm2001
Robert,
furnace is electric.
I checked 5 registers with my camera...saw nothing but spiderwebs n such. (just checked the ones closest to the smell)...will check the rest tho now that you mention it.
As far as anything UNDER the house, we have a general maitenance/contractor coming this week (hopefully) so I will ask him what you mentioned about the ducts and crossline (I have no idea what a crossline is lol). (but my husband looked under there and saw nothing tthat didnt look "right", although we are NEW to the mobile home problems.)
the furnace is on opposide side of house where the stink is coming from.
thanks for your help....anything else you can think of for me to have the worker look at I would appreciate!!

think Im gonna love this board!
lol
Mindy

RE: smell from vents when heat or ac is turned on

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:29 pm
by Robert
Hi Mindy,

The cross-over duct is a 10" to 14" diameter flexible duct running from one half to the other to carry the airflow from furnace side to the other side.


IF it is loose, torn, etc, the smells from anything wet, musky, etc.. will be pulled up into the duct when hvac is running .


Furnace could need thorough cleaning and the a-coil and drain pan at top above furnace could also.


http://www.mobilehomerepair.com/article ... ioner.html


http://www.mobilehomerepair.com/article ... lower.html



Thanks,
Robert

UPDATE

Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:58 pm
by pnm2001
ok update..........we had the septic tank emptied and for about a MONTH the smell was GONE.....then it suddenly came back.....
the air conditioner has been serviced, the crossover ducts under the house were replaced......the smell is the WORST when the air is on......BUT we noticed there is a bad smell under the bathroom sinks and the kitchen sink?!?!?!?! the vent-traps have been replaced, everything has been checked...no one can find the source of the stink.
we also had all the air ducts cleaned.

HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
any new ideas??!

Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 12:38 pm
by Johnny
Youcould check the under bellie where the sinks are located to see if there is any water in it.

RE: smell from vents when heat or ac is turned on

Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 3:10 am
by Robert
Going to take a thorough and complete inspection of home and all appliances associated with this possible smell.


Without being there, can't really give any more help aside from what has been done.


Thanks,
Robert

Re: smell from vents when heat or ac is turned on

Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:14 pm
by rfmann
Dear Mindy,

I also am having the same problem that you had in the past with the strong odor coming from the vents. Did you ever find out WHAT THE problem was-maybe this will help me determine my problem with the awful odor. I can not hardly stand to be in my house.

If anyone else has suggestion, please advise.

Thanks,

RFMann

Re: smell from vents when heat or ac is turned on

Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:57 pm
by Robert
Hi,

I am locking this thread off after this reply as it is almost a year old. All the answers and suggestions have been given. If those do not resolve it, then a call to a reputable hvac company is in order.


Thanks,
Robert