Mini-splits are growing in popularity around the U.S., as they offer homeowners a more energy-efficient way to keep their homes comfortable, and they are often more affordable to use than some of those older air conditioning window units.
Of course, that is only true when you purchase newer models and have them professionally installed. Otherwise, you may end up like one Redditor whose botched install could cost him a ton of money down the road.
He claims that the person who installed the product never connected the drain hose, which means that the water the mini-split has been pulling out of the air has been draining into the walls of his home.
Not only is this the perfect recipe for mold growth, but it may be destroying his mini-split as well.
A Man Said His Mini-Split Smells Musty After Having it installed.
Reddit user @PrgrmMan took to the r/heatpumps subreddit to ask for help after spending $15,000 having a mini-split installed on the second floor of his 2,000 square foot house. After noticing that the drain didn’t seem to be putting out much water while it was running, the OP called the installer to have him come back out to troubleshoot the unit, which is when he learned that the drain hose had never been connected.
“Now I’ve noticed the unit is making a chirping sound, and the water drains outside, bit fairly slowly,” he wrote. “The unit seems to struggle to keep the house at 55% humidity, but in the evening will swing to 62%. When it does this, I notice a musty smell coming out of the unit.”
The OP says that the installer is coming back out in a week, but he’s looking for advice on what he can do in the meantime, and what he should ask the installer when they arrive.
People Gave the OP Plenty of Advice to Consider
Reddit really delivered for the OP, and he was quickly given plenty of advice on how to proceed. “I would make sure the indoor unit is properly sloped towards whichever side the drain is connected to,” one person wrote. “It should not be perfectly level.” The OP then quickly acknowledged this comment, saying that he confirmed it was level at the time of the install.
Another person offered advice for the annoying sound the unit was making, telling the Redditor to keep the fan in “auto mode” to avoid the chirping.
Unfortunately, one Redditor shared a sobering take on the whole situation, writing, “If they [didn’t bother] to connect the drain line, there will be other stuff they missed.”
Mold Can Develop Quickly Behind Walls
While none of this was likely the info that the OP was hoping for, it is important to note that a water leak can cause mold to grow pretty quickly. According to the Root Busters plumbing blog, water can create mold in as little as 24 to 48 hours. Since the OP’s issue has been happening for a few weeks now, it’s likely that he may need to have another expert out to confirm whether or not there’s an issue.
While this could be a frustrating (and expensive) situation, hopefully the HVAC technician is bonded and insured, which will make it easier for the OP to get the financial help he needs in order to repair any damage that could be lurking within his walls.