newFitOwner

I was explaining to someone why I bought a new car...previous used cars caused respiratory aggravation. The person said that she read about mold problems in used cars due to condensation. It all seemed plausible until I recalled that my past used cars did not have A/C. However, it did get me thinking about how to avoid such a problem on my new 2013 Fit, which does have A/C. The solution was to turn off the A/C 5 minutes before reaching my destination. Since my car is for running errands, drives usually aren't much longer than 5 minutes, so that was not an appealing suggestion. All the less so since I didn't like breaking out into a sweat in sweltering temperatures and sharing my stinky self with the public.

My engineering mind turned to how I could be lazy and not give up my treasured A/C. It reasoned that the air should be dry by the time I reach my destination, and there would not be much additional moisture to condense onto the cooling coils/fins once the initial moisture was squeezed out of the interior air and drained away.

Would this be reasonable?

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

I'm confused on the question. Are you posing a question on how the A/C works? I'm not positive on the length of the drip of condensed air, but it would seem there is an indefinite amount of moisture to be pulled from the air because that is just how the condenser works. Without it, your AC wouldn't be any cooler than the air in the cabin.

I would worry about it. The compressor/condenser is pretty low in the engine bay if I am thinking right and shouldn't collect a ton of moisture. Checking it while doing an oil change or routine check up should be enough to keep anything from building up.

jlk16188

the evaporator is under the dashboard and is what can collect moisture which is why Honda has provided you a drain into the engine compartment, where you see water dripping on the ground when the AC is running on a hot day. If you have moisture problems then this drain is most likely blocked and backing up into your cabin. You can also take out your cabin filter and change it regularly and while it is out, disinfect the fins of the evaporator core as best as you can with spray disinfectant.

You have an issue with your car if you are considering removing your AC system. The AC system when properly functioning acts as a dehumidifier for the cabin and dries out the cabin air and mold should not be a normal issue.

I believe you are over thinking and complicating this. If you park under trees or anything that would cause mold spores to collect on the car, near the intake of the HVAC or around the openings to enter the cabin then I would imagine you are allowing mold to enter the vehicle. Under normal operation, mold is not an issue

newFitOwner

@Freemananana: I'm not posting about how A/C works. Just whether the risk of mold due to condensation moisture is a plausible cause for concern. Thank you for your perspective.

@jlk16188: I don't have problems with my new Fit, I'm just trying to be duly diligent by checking for the plausibility of a problem that a colleague read about. You mentioned applying a disinfecting spray to the fins. Many disinfecting sprays are full of fragrance and stuff. Sparying vinegar is probably not advisable due to it's acidity. I would normally follow up by asking whether you had a particular spray in mind for this situation when you replied. However, you also say that mold is normally not a problem outside of the special situations that you described. So I'm tempted just to assume that the whole issue is moot.

manxman

The whole issue is moot, as long as you drive in the normal areas and circumstances. If you go off-roading in a Florida swamp regularly, maybe mold on automotive surfaces might be a concern. Mold in homes has become a major issue with allergy sufferers, and can even be deadly depending upon the mold species. If you have any talent in Internet searches, you can find MANY anti-mold surface treatments that would make your automotive worries go away. I have an old house in a Coastal Redwood forest, and mold has been a problem. I use several mold cure sprays that have relieved the old-house-mold-coastal-forest problem.

I don't blame you for being careful in looking for potential problems. I think that your worries are groundless, but could be wrong. Mold has NEVER been a problem for me in owning about two dozen cars over 50 years. However, California is a DESERT state. Your own circumstances may be different. Trust me- there are a TON of mold-alleviating products available, and I wouldn't laugh at you for using them on your car. Good luck!

newFitOwner

I don't drive in swamps, and my garage is in the sublevels of a highrise. I don't have a mold problem at present. I just wanted to get sanity checks on possible causes that a colleague read. If there was anything behind it, it is easier to avoid than to fix afterward.

However, I did google mold in cars, and the process goes a bit beyond just spraying. My question about spraying wasn't so much about how to get rid of mold. It was to make more complete the post that I was repsonding to. Other people may also come across this thread if they google for issues, and (at least from the practice on the quality-controlled forum Stack Exchange), it is a good idea to revise one's answers so as to make it as meaningful to passerbies.

That particular response about spraying seemed to be about preventative maintenance rather than a full-fledged mold problem per se. A google for disinfectant spray yields the issues that I mentioned (scent and other impurities). I imagine that this is not desirable for the fins of a condenser. Apart from the scent, there is also the residue. Residue is not a big deal for spraying on window sills or counter tops, because you can always wipe them.