PRO TIPS ON HOW TO SOLVE A SMELLY AIRCON

Picture this: It’s summer and you turned your aircon on just to be greeted with a smell so bad, you had to turn it off. There are instances such as this and there are reasons behind it. Luckily, your pros also have solutions on how to solve it.

According to United States EPA, one of the main reason why people’s health are affected is poor indoor air quality. Having microbes, fungus, dust, and dirt stuck in your air conditioner can actually affect your health, what’s more, is it can damage the internal parts of your AC unit.

But first, it would be more helpful to know that each of those bad smell that’s coming out of your aircon vents.

1. Cigarette Smoke Smell

If you smoke or someone else does, well it can be bothersome. The odor of it can accumulate in the filter and evaporator coil. And this causes that smell. Practice smoking outside, better yet quit altogether.

Pro tip: Contact a professional to change the filter and for tune-up and cleaning.

1. Musty and moldy smell

This is probably one of the most common problems homeowners encounter in terms of smelling something funny in their aircon. This is especially true when there’s excess humidity or moisture in the system.

Pro tip: Combine one part bleach with three parts water in the bucket to deal with any mold or mildew. Have the water leaks fix and frequently replace the aircon’s filters by your professional technicians.

1. “Dirty socks” Smell

Some of you might also have encountered that “stinky feet” smell and this is due to a dirty evaporator, stagnant water, and even a clogged condensate drain pans.

Pro tip: No DIYs unfortunately, and only professionals can help you since your unit needs a thorough cleaning.

1. Burning Smell

This would probably give you the scare and it probably should since it would mean the motor of your aircon is overheating, there might also be a wiring issue.

Pro tip: Turn your aircon system off immediately from the breaker box. If the burning smell persists, it’s best to evacuate your home and call the fire department. Never try to solve this on your own. Turn off the power to the circuits from the breaker box and stay outside until help comes and have the unit be checked by your technician and electrician as well.

1. Rotten Egg Smell

It may be funny but believe me, never ignore it- it could be the smell of leaking gas. Aircon manufacturers are actually mandated to add Mercaptan- a chemical that gives it that “rotten egg gas smell”.

Pro tip: Open your doors and windows. Turn off your gas supply and don’t open any flames such as matches or lighters. Don’t operate and turn on anything electrical. Call your gas company and aircon technician immediately.

A general rule that pros would advise is NEVER cover up the smell by spraying aerosols or lighting scented candles since it could just worsen the air quality. It’s better to call your professional AC technician to get a thorough unit check-up and to identify other issues you may have with your air conditioner.