We install air conditioners to help us feel comfortable 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 impact 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 sign 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. Allow 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 are likely experiencing a different challenge.

Just like anything in your home, if your air conditioner isn’t cleaned well or taken care of, there’s a good chance that dirt and dust will accumulate. 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 happen with the coils, drain pain, air ducts or even your filter. Thankfully, routine maintenance can help decrease this buildup and reduce the probability that an unfriendly smell starts diffusing throughout your house.

Heat and moisture can contribute to increased mold growth, namely 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 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?

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, replace it with a brand new one. We typically recommend changing your filter every two to 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 switched the filter and it’s not helping, it’s probably time to reach out for some help. Especially if it’s been an long 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 anxiety about the odors in your home, Clean Air HVAC can help you review 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 unwanted odors. You can arrange an appointment with us online or give us a shout at 925-233-6238.