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 irritating. It can greatly affect your home comfort.
Where do the smells come from?
Begin with what the odor smells like. If the odor resembles a rotten egg, this could be a indication 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 tackle yourself.
If it doesn’t smell like rotten eggs, you have a different issue.
Just like anything in your home, if your air conditioner isn’t cleaned correctly 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 request reasons you’ll notice odors with air conditioners. It can take place with the coils, drain pain, air ducts or even your filter. Luckily, regular maintenance can help decrease this buildup and reduce the chances that an unfriendly smell starts spreading throughout your home.
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 space.
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 remove the animal.
What can I 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, try replacing it with a brand new one. We typically recommend changing your filter every three months. But it’s also important to keep in mind other factors that would require you to replace it more often, 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 call in an expert. Especially if it’s been an lengthy period of time since your last air conditioning checkup. The pros can examine 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, Ocean Air Conditioning and Heating can help you take a look at the situation and chat about possible solutions. You should be able to enjoy your cool indoor space during the warmer summer months, without having to suffer with undesirable odors. You can book an appointment with us online or give us a shout at 949-317-4175.