Room air units collect dust, moisture and sometimes biological growth, and they send air straight into the room. A unit that is neglected can make a clean room smell stale. The schedule below is a general prompt; follow equipment manuals and your engineering lead for actual intervals.
Denver's dry climate does not remove the problem. Condensate still forms during cooling, and drain pans and lines can collect residue. Seasonal changes, from heating to cooling and back, are natural points to check each unit.
Keep the calendar connected to the complaint log. If reports cluster on units of a certain age, type or location, move those units earlier in the schedule. A unit that has had a smell complaint once is worth a closer look at the next visit, even if the calendar says it is not due. Share findings with housekeeping, so they know what to say to guests and what to watch for when they enter a room, and track which fixes held up over a season and which did not.
A word on documentation: log each unit by room number with the date of the last filter change and the last drain check. When a smell complaint comes in, the first question is often when the unit was last serviced, and a quick answer saves time. Even a basic spreadsheet is enough, provided it is updated whenever work is done and checked at the seasonal review. Where units share a floor layout, comparing their histories can show whether one problem is isolated or part of a wider pattern, which in turn helps engineering decide where to spend limited time.
Calendar
- Time
- Early spring
- Check
- Inspect filters, coils and drain pans before cooling season
- Who
- Engineering
- Time
- Early summer
- Check
- Check for condensate leaks and musty smell at startup
- Who
- Engineering and housekeeping
- Time
- Midsummer
- Check
- Spot-check rooms reported for stale smell
- Who
- Housekeeping
- Time
- Early fall
- Check
- Clean or replace filters before heating season
- Who
- Engineering
- Time
- Winter
- Check
- Check for dust burn smell when heat starts, and for dry trap smells
- Who
- Housekeeping
- Time
- After any leak
- Check
- Inspect the unit and wall area
- Who
- Engineering
A single-unit service visit
- Before
- Note any smell reports for the room.
- Open
- Check the filter, coil and drain pan.
- Clean
- Remove dust and residue per the manufacturer's guidance.
- Test
- Run the unit and smell the air.
- Record
- Write down what was found and done.
Items to watch for
- Dusty or damp filters
- Slime or residue in a drain pan
- Standing water
- Musty smell at startup
- Staining on the wall near the unit
- Units that run but move little air
Common questions
Can housekeeping open the units?
Usually this is for engineering. Housekeeping can report smells and note the unit status.
Does a clean filter solve a smell?
Sometimes. Coils, pans and wall cavities can also be involved.
General information for Downtown Denver, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.