Many of us install air conditioners to help us feel relaxed 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 influence your home comfort.
Where do the 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 call 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 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 develop. 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 take place with the coils, drain pain, air ducts or even your filter. However, routine maintenance can help avoid this buildup and reduce the probability that an unfriendly smell starts dispersing throughout your house.
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 remove the animal.
What can I do?
Check 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, try replacing it with a brand new one. We typically advise changing your filter every few months. But it’s also vital to keep in mind other elements 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 switched the filter and it’s not helping, it’s probably time to contact a professional. Especially if it’s been an lengthy period of time since your last air conditioning checkup. Technicians 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 frustrations about the odors in your home, AZ Air Conditioning and Heating 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 unfavorable odors. You can arrange an appointment with our experts online or give us a shout at 800-296-5088.