Good afternoon,

We live in an apartment complex on the 2nd floor. When the neighbors that share a wall and attic space with us, also on the 2nd floor turn on their dryer, their soap smell comes through our air conditioner if our air conditioner is running. The maintenance worker took a quick look in the attic and did not see any visible holes in the duct work. Could you please tell me how the smell from their apartment is coming through our air conditioner? Thank you.

Driers vent outside, and apartments are so close together your fresh air intake is close enough its pulling some in before its been able to disperse. Unfortunately if that ends up being the source... there is nothing you can do but live with it. Odds are someone else smells yours when you do laundry as well.

I have seen a lot of dryers vent into the space above apartments, and I have seen apartments share areas above apartments. May not be code, but I have seen this often.

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Originally Posted by smoothy

Driers vent outside, and apartments are so close together your fresh air intake is close enough its pulling some in before its been able to disperse. Unfortunately if that ends up being the source... there is nothing you can do but live with it. Odds are someone else smells yours when you do laundry as well.

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Does every AC have a fresh air intake? We have a Goodman split system.

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Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

I have seen a lot of dryers vent into the space above apartments, and I have seen apartments share areas above apartments. May not be code, but I have seen this often.

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We do have a shared attic space, but the dryer is venting on the outside.

The smell from other apartments is not likely coming from the air conditioner but the air itself. The AC likely is just circulating the existing smell in the air, making them more prominent. Ask your landlord if indeed your HVAC system has a fresh air intake, and you can always purchase your own air purifier for your room, or apartment unit.

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Originally Posted by mcguirknba

Does every AC have a fresh air intake? We have a Goodman split system.



We do have a shared attic space, but the dryer is venting on the outside.

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If you have e high efficiency unit, it will have an outside air intake, 1 or 2 plastic tubes.