We 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 annoying. It can greatly impact your home comfort.
Where are these smells coming from?
Focus on 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 call the gas company. Allow 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 house, 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 clearly displayed before 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. Luckily, routine maintenance can help prevent this buildup and reduce the chances that an unfriendly smell starts diffusing throughout your home.
Heat and moisture can contribute to increased mold growth, particularly 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 house.
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.
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 changed your air filter, go ahead and replace it with a brand new one. We typically suggest changing your filter every three months. But it’s also key 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 reducing the smell, it’s probably time to call in an expert. Especially if it’s been an lengthy period of time since your last air conditioning examination. 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 improve from a proper cleaning.
If you have frustrations about the odors in your home, Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning can help you review 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 undesirable odors. You can book an appointment with our team online or give us a shout at 308-624-3485.