Many of us install air conditioners to help us feel relaxed 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 influence 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 sign 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. Be sure to have 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 problem.
Just like anything in your home, 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 right in front of you, cleaning them can often go overlooked.
Buildup of mold, dirt and other particles is one of the most common sources of odors with air conditioners. It can happen with the coils, drain pain, air ducts or even your filter. Thankfully, routine maintenance can help prevent this buildup and reduce the probability 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 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 retrieve the animal.
Where do I start?
Assess your filter. This is a common culprit for air conditioner odors. If it’s been a long time since you’ve swapped your air filter, replace it with a brand new one. We typically recommend changing your filter every few months. But it’s also key 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