What’s That Smell Coming from My Air Conditioner?

What’s that funky smell? Did your kids miss finding a few hidden Easter eggs from April? It’s gotten so bad ever since you turned the air conditioner on!

That mysterious smell likely isn’t a forgotten treat from the Easter bunny, but it might be caused by your HVAC system. Find out what’s causing the unpleasant odor, if you should be concerned, and how you can make your home smell a little nicer!

What’s Causing the Smell

You expect your air conditioner to greet you with nice, cool air when you turn it on, not blast you with unpleasant odors. If you can’t quite pinpoint that familiar smell of dirty diapers, smelly feet, or cigarette smoke, follow your nose to the HVAC vents and you might just find your culprit.

A number of things could be causing the offensive smell, such as dust or moisture sticking to the A/C evaporator coil and filter, water buildup clogging the condensate drain line, mildew and mold forming on the coils, a dirty air filter, or mechanical or electrical troubles.

While most of these odors are merely irritating, some of them can be hazardous. If something smells like it’s burning, that’s because it probably is. This could be an overheating motor, a wiring issue, short-circuiting, or some other mechanical problem. Turn your HVAC system off immediately and call a professional to take a look!

How to Get Rid of the Odor

So now that you’ve narrowed down that your A/C is to blame for the smell lurking around, it’s time to take care of it. One of the first and most simple actions to take is changing your air filter. A fresh filter will remove contaminants from your system so they can’t be recirculated back into your home, and less contamination equals less smell!

If you haven’t had your system cleaned yet this year, this should be the next step on your list. Your air conditioning system’s evaporator coils should be cleaned annually by an HVAC professional. Not only will this reduce the smell, but it will also improve the efficiency of your system too.

No one wants the smell of a musty air conditioner flowing through their vents and lingering in their home. We offer services such as duct cleaning and coil cleaning, and products like deodorizers, mold killing UV lights, and Reme Halo Air Purification Systems to help keep your home healthy and smelling pleasant. Give us a call at 903-838-6923 to learn more about your options and book your service with us today!