Many of us install air conditioners to help us feel cool in our homes. But when you start to notice unpleasant odors coming from your cooling system, it’s more than just irritating. It can greatly impact your home comfort.
Where do the smells come from?
Start with what the odor smells like. If the odor resembles a rotten egg, this could be a signal of a gas leak. If this is the case, you should open your windows, turn off the gas supply, evacuate the home and call the gas company. Allow the gas company turn it back on for you. It’s not something you want to mess around with.
If it doesn’t smell like rotten eggs, you probably have a different challenge.
Just like anything in your indoor space, if your air conditioner isn’t cleaned well or taken care of, there’s a good chance that dirt and dust will gather. And because components of your air conditioner aren’t right in front of you, 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 happen with the coils, drain pain, air ducts or even your filter. Thankfully, regular maintenance can help decrease this buildup and reduce the odds that an unfriendly smell starts spreading throughout your home.
Heat and moisture can contribute to increased mold growth, especially in warmer climates. Not only can mold and mildew develop a nasty smell, but it can also negatively impact the quality of air in your space.
It’s also possible that a little critter 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?
Assess 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, go ahead and replace it with a brand new one. We typically recommend 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 repeatedly, 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 reducing the smell, it’s probably time to contact a professional. Especially if it’s been an long period of time since your last air conditioning examination. They can review the situation to see if a thorough cleaning can do the job. You may also want to consider having your air ducts cleaned. Professional duct cleaners can take a look to see if your indoor air quality would benefit from a proper cleaning.
If you have frustrations about the odors in your home, Retro HVAC Service & Installation can help you take a look at the situation and discuss possible solutions. You should be able to enjoy your cool indoor space during the warmer summer months, without having to suffer with undesirable odors. You can book an appointment with us online or give us a shout at 267-277-3851.