We install air conditioners to help us feel relaxed in our homes. But when you start to experience 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?

Focus on 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 indoor space, if your air conditioner isn’t cleaned properly or taken care of, there’s a good chance that dirt and dust will develop. 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 more typical culprits of odor with air conditioners. It can take place 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 spreading throughout your home.

Heat and moisture can contribute to increased mold growth, namely in warmer climates. Not only can mold and mildew create 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 retrieve the animal.

Where do I start?

Assess your filter. This is a common 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 two to three months. But it’s also vital to keep in mind other reasons that would require you to replace it more frequently, such as pets in the home or if a family member has allergies or asthma.

If you’ve replaced the filter and it’s not reducing the smell, it’s probably time to call in an expert. Especially if it’s been an long 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 might consider having your air ducts cleaned. Professional duct cleaners can take a look to see if your indoor air quality would benefit from a proper cleaning.

If you have frustrations about the odors in your home, B&D Air Conditioning can help you take a look at the situation and talk through 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 schedule an appointment with our team online or give us a shout at 928-432-6018.