Why Does My Air Conditioner Smell Funny?

Foul smell coming from your air conditioner is very unpleasant. It is mainly due to the buildup of dirt, molds, and bacteria. Moisture and heat make it a perfect breeding site for the bacteria and molds. Cleaning the coils and filters usually eliminates most of the bad odors. Regular cleaning will also keep your unit running efficiently. Depending on the type of smell, there can be different causes of the foul-smelling air conditioner. Let’s find out what are the causes of the smelly air conditioner:

Air conditioner smells like cigarettes

If someone in the family is a smoker and has smoked inside the room where the air conditioner is installed, AC will suck the fumes of the cigarettes. So when we switch on the air conditioner, the evaporator coil spreads that smell again. A simple solution is to clean up the evaporator coil.

As if something is burning

It is usually nothing to worry about because if your air conditioner is running for the first time in the season the burning of dust produces the burning smell which is normal but if the burning smell is due to some mechanical reason calling a technician is the best thing one can do.

Smells like a rotten garbage

The smell is the most unbearable one. It indicates that any rodent or bird has died in the ductwork and because of the decomposition your air conditioner smells like rotten garbage. Call technician to remove the creature.

Skunk like smell

This kind of smell indicates a gas leakage – methyl Mercaptan. It is very dangerous gas so evacuating the place as soon as possible is important.

Mildew like smell

This is the most common type of smell. This indicates that mildew or molds have started to grow in your unit. When the moisture from the system is not drained properly, molds can grow easily in the moist area. Dirty filters are also responsible for this type of smell.

To get rid of the smell, cleaning the unit is the best option. Below are given the step by step method to fix the odor problem of your air conditioner:

1. Find the cause – Open the covers, tops and access panel, look for something that might be causing your air conditioner to smell. Look for any dead rodent, mold, decaying leaves etc.
2. Clean the unit – Wear the gloves and remove the cause of the smell -be it a dead animal, or molds. Remove as much debris as you can by using the coil cleaner and spray cleaner. The cleaner will loosen the dirt and debris. Run the water to rinse properly.
3. Drain line – Use bleach or vinegar to kill any type of mold in the drainage line. Let it dry. Also, clean the drain pan. Wash it with the hot water and then use bleach or vinegar to clean this too.
4. Replace the filters – Clean the filters with a solution of bleach and water. If possible replace it with the new one to ensure the fresh smelling air conditioner.

You can ask more to the local service provider like AC repair services in Phoenix with a quality service from local technicians.