Dirty Sock Syndrome
Dirty sock syndrome is not something that you want happening in your home, even the name is unpleasant. Unfortunately though it does occur, and the root cause has yet to be pinpointed. Dirty sock syndrome occurs when your heat pump goes into defrost mode, which stirs up the microorganisms producing a foul smell. There are solutions to this problem, but depending on the circumstances, certain ones will work better than others.
Most people’s first question when they’re told they have dirty sock syndrome is, “Why me?” This question has yet to be answered, but is being investigated. It is thought that there is a possible link to in home activities such as cleaning materials, pets, cooking, and the amount of moisture in your home. The odor is very unpredictable, and in many cases it will be there one year and gone the next. We can tell you though that it occurs on heat pumps only, and is mostly restricted to the Southeastern part of the US.
Next people wonder the exact cause of the odor. During the cooling season, microorganisms grow in the moisture of the surface cracks and crevices of the tubes and fin stock of the indoor coil. They feed on minute particles from house hold items. Once the heat pump is put into the heating mode the microorganisms become dormant in the warm, dry atmosphere. Once the heat pump goes into the defrost mode, the indoor coil cools down and becomes moist, which reactivates the microorganisms. It is at this point they release the odor. Once the heat pump returns to the heating mode then they’ll become dormant once again.
It is important to know that while the smell is unappealing, it has yet to be proven that it causes health issues. For your noses sake though, you’ll probably want it taken care of by a professional. Our service technicians will clean the coil, and use a preventative solution. Depending on the situation that might not always stop it in all cases. In the more extreme circumstances, the coil might need to be replaced, so check with O’Brien to see if your parts are under warranty.
Dirty sock syndrome is not a pleasant issue to have to deal with, but it does occur in our area due to the moisture in our air. It doesn’t matter the make or model, heat pumps in our area are at risk to be affected by dirty sock syndrome. If this is something you think your heat pump might be experiencing, give O’Brien Service Company a call(910) 799-6611.
