The majority of us install air conditioners to help us feel cool in our homes. But when you start to observe unpleasant odors coming from your cooling system, it’s more than just irritating. It can greatly impact 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 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 have a different challenge.

Just like anything in your house, if your air conditioner isn’t cleaned properly or taken care of, there’s a good chance that dirt and dust will gather. And because components of your air conditioner aren’t clearly displayed before 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 take place with the coils, drain pain, air ducts or even your filter. Thankfully, routine maintenance can help prevent this buildup and reduce the chances that an unfriendly smell starts spreading throughout your space.

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

What should you do?

Check your filter. This is a typical 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 advise changing your filter every 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 helping, it’s probably time to reach out for some help. Especially if it’s been an extended period of time since your last air conditioning checkup. Technicians can examine 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 benefit from a proper cleaning.

If you have anxiety about the odors in your home, Heartland Heating & Cooling can help you review 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 unfavorable odors. You can schedule an appointment with our experts online or give us a shout at 515-344-3579.