The majority of us install air conditioners to help us feel comfortable in our homes. But when you start to observe unpleasant odors coming from your cooling system, it’s more than just annoying. It can greatly impact your home comfort.
Where are these smells coming 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 contact the gas company. Make sure to let the gas company turn it back on for you. It’s not something you want to tackle yourself.
If it doesn’t smell like rotten eggs, you 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 take place with the coils, drain pain, air ducts or even your filter. Thankfully, ongoing maintenance can help avoid this buildup and reduce the probability that an unfriendly smell starts diffusing throughout your space.
Heat and moisture can contribute to increased mold growth, particularly 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 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 retrieve the animal.
What can I do?
Analyze your filter. This is a common 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 advise changing your filter every three months. But it’s also vital to keep in mind other factors 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 replaced the filter and it’s not helping, it’s probably time to contact a professional. Especially if it’s been an long period of time since your last air conditioning checkup. Technicians can assess 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 concerns about the odors in your home, Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling can help you take a look at 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 arrange an appointment with our team online or give us a shout at (815) 914-6197.