The majority of us install air conditioners to help us feel comfortable in our homes. But when you start to notice unpleasant odors coming from your cooling system, it’s more than just annoying. It can greatly affect your home comfort.

Where are these smells coming from?

Start with 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 contact the gas company. Be sure to have 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 challenge.

Just like anything in your house, if your air conditioner isn’t cleaned well or taken care of, there’s a good chance that dirt and dust will gather. And because components of your air conditioner aren’t front and center, 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, ongoing maintenance can help decrease this buildup and reduce the chances that an unfriendly smell starts dispersing throughout your home.

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

Where do I start?

Check your filter. This is a usual 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 suggest changing your filter every few months. But it’s also important to keep in mind other factors 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 long period of time since your last air conditioning checkup. 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 frustrations about the odors in your home, H&C Heating and Cooling can help you take a look at the situation and talk through possible solutions. You should be able to enjoy your cool indoor space throughout the warmer summer months, without having to suffer with undesirable odors. You can arrange an appointment with our experts online or give us a shout at 301-960-3247.