We install air conditioners to help us feel comfortable in our homes. But when you start to experience unpleasant odors coming from your cooling system, it’s more than just bothersome. It can greatly influence your home comfort.
Where do bad AC smells come from?
Start with what the odor smells like. If the odor resembles a rotten egg, this could be an indication of a gas leak. If this is the case, you should open your windows, turn off the gas supply, evacuate the home and contact the gas company. Make sure to let the gas company turn it back on for you. It’s not something you want to risk doing on your own.
If it doesn’t smell like rotten eggs, you have a different issue.
Just like anything in your home, if your air conditioner isn’t cleaned properly or taken care of, there’s a good chance that dirt and dust will gather. And because components of your air conditioner aren’t front and center, cleaning them can often go overlooked.
Buildup of mold, dirt and other particles is one of the most frequent reasons you’ll notice odors with air conditioners. It can take place with the coils, drain pain, air ducts or even your filter. Thankfully, ongoing maintenance can help avoid this buildup and reduce the chances that an unfriendly smell starts dispersing throughout your space.
Heat and moisture can contribute to increased mold growth, namely in warmer climates. Not only can mold and mildew induce a nasty smell, but it can also negatively impact the quality of air in your home.
It’s also possible that a small animal navigated into your duct system and died. You can turn off your air conditioner and either give our team or pest control a call to come and get the animal.
Where do I start?
Analyze your filter. This is a typical culprit for air conditioner odors. If it’s been a long time since you’ve swapped your air filter, replace it with a brand new one. We typically suggest changing your filter every three months. But it’s also vital to keep in mind other reasons that would require you to replace it more frequently, such as pets in the home or if a family member has allergies or asthma.
If you’ve exchanged the filter and it’s not helping, it’s probably time to reach out for some help. Especially if it’s been an long period of time since your last air conditioning checkup. They can review the situation to see if a thorough cleaning can do the job. You could consider having your air ducts cleaned. Professional duct cleaners can take a look to see if your indoor air quality would improve from a proper cleaning.
If you have concerns about the odors in your home, Pure Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning can help you assess the situation and chat about possible solutions. You should be able to enjoy your cool indoor space in the warmer summer months, without having to suffer with unfavorable odors. You can schedule an appointment with our team online or give us a shout at 630-313-2509.