The Reason Your Air Conditioner Smells

The Reason Your Air Conditioner Smells

Are you curious as to why your air conditioning system emits a terrible odor? When something goes wrong within your air conditioner, it can rapidly start stinking up the area. Here are some of the noxious odors you could encounter in your house.

1. If your sewer line backs up or your P-traps become clogged, your air conditioner may begin to smell like raw sewage. Sewer gases can be harmful to your health, therefore it’s critical to get this problem fixed right away.
2. Sulfur odors: If your house smells like a rotten egg, it’s a sign that you have a gas leak. If you detect the odor of rotten eggs in your house, call your HVAC technician right away, as a gas leak can be quite dangerous.
3. Mold and mildew odors: Excess humidity and moisture in your HVAC system can contribute to mold and mildew growth, which emits a foul odor when the air pushes these dangerous particles through your home.
4. Rotting odors: A creature may make its way inside your air conditioner, where it becomes trapped and eventually dies. This is a major health danger, and the carcass should be removed by a pest control professional as soon as possible.
5. Cigarette smoke odors: If someone has smoked in or around your home, the smoke particles can get trapped inside the filter and evaporator coils of your air conditioner, leading you to smell cigarettes the next time you turn it on.
6. Burning odors: A burning stench coming from your system is a sure symptom of trouble, since it indicates that there is a problem with an overheating motor, wiring, or another mechanical component.
7. Do your unit’s odors remind you of dirty socks or smelly feet? It’s possible that your air conditioner has unclean evaporator coils, a clogged condensate drain pan, or standing water.

There are a few simple fixes that people can employ to fix their odorous air conditioner. You may try the following troubleshooting tips:

1. Change your air filter at least once every three months (more frequently if you have a pet or suffer from allergies). Many scents, including cigarette smoke, can be eliminated by just changing your air filter.
2. Run water through your sinks: One technique to keep sewage aromas out of your AC is to run water through all your sinks once a month to fill the P-trap and seal it against sewer odors.
3. Keep your system clean: While nothing beats a thorough cleaning by an HVAC specialist, keeping the areas you can reach in and around your air conditioner clean and free of debris will help you avoid attracting undesirable scents.

These three suggestions can help you avoid bad odors in your home. However, scents that signal a hazard to your family’s safety and health should be avoided.

If you’re not sure what to do about chronic AC odors, call your trusted HVAC technician. Max Air Comfort can supply you with the long-term system solutions you require to be comfortable and odor-free!