The majority of us install air conditioners to help us feel cool in our homes. But when you start to experience unpleasant odors coming from your cooling system, it’s more than just irritating. It can greatly impact your home comfort.
Where do bad AC smells come from?
Focus on 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 reach out to 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 probably have a different problem.
Just like anything in your home, if your air conditioner isn’t cleaned well or taken care of, there’s a good chance that dirt and dust will accumulate. 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 more typical culprits of odor with air conditioners. It can occur with the coils, drain pain, air ducts or even your filter. Luckily, regular maintenance can help prevent this buildup and reduce the chances that an unfriendly smell starts spreading throughout your home.
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 tiny creature 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.
What should you do?
Analyze your filter. This is a usual culprit for air conditioner odors. If it’s been a long time since you’ve exchanged your air filter, try replacing it with a brand new one. We typically recommend changing your filter every two to three months. But it’s also important 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 making a difference, it’s probably time to contact a professional. Especially if it’s been an lengthy period of time since your last air conditioning inspection. Technicians can examine the situation to see if a thorough cleaning can do the job. You might 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 concerns about the odors in your home, Aggressive Mechanical can help you assess the situation and discuss possible solutions. You should be able to enjoy your cool indoor space throughout the warmer summer months, without having to suffer with unwanted odors. You can schedule an appointment with our experts online or give us a shout at 732-806-5536.