In the United States, homeowners have to deal with an annual cost of around $29 billion because of their air conditioners.
You pay enough money throughout the year for your AC unit, so the last thing you want to do is run into problems that could cost you more. One serious problem you could come across is your air conditioner smelling bad.
Read on to learn about what to do when your air conditioner smells bad.
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What to Do When Your Air Conditioner Smells Bad
The last thing you want is a nasty odor traveling through your home because of a problem with your air conditioner. At the first sign of odor, understand that something is not working properly and the problem should not get ignored.
Although product defects are a possible cause for air conditioner smells, the most common issues are due to a lack of maintenance. Because an ACs role is to filter the air, it is necessary to regularly clean and performs maintenance on it.
Even when your brand new air conditioner smells, it should be cause for concern. Not properly handling the issue can lead to the product failing. More concerning, when an air conditioner smells bad, it can develop bacteria in the unit that will deteriorate the quality and cause health problems.
If you have run into air conditioner problems, there are a few things you can check to find the solution.
Check the Drainage
In residential areas, it is common for ACs to be installed in a bad spot. This is one reason you may be experiencing a bad smell coming from the air conditioner.
To check the drainage, find where the draining tube is and see where it is pointing. It is also recommended to check the quality of the water source. Your unit could be connected to the sewage system causing a bad smell. Yuck!
Check for Humidity
Because bacteria can be a major cause of bad odors, you must ensure your unit is in a well-ventilated area. Gross smells thrive in stagnant conditions because the bacteria can develop and grow. If your unit is placed in an area with a lot of humidity, you can fix it by ensuring there is fresh air circulating.
Call HVAC Professionals
After checking a few common problems that may be fixable without professional help, you may realize that the smell is caused by something else. If this is the case, you should call HVAC professionals in your area as soon as possible.
A company may be able to offer you a maintenance plan to increase the life of your unit. These plans involve checking filters, analyzing contamination, checking odor levels, and more.
After getting to the root of why your air conditioner smells bad, you should have a plan in place to prevent the problem from happening again. Keeping up with regular maintenance and cleaning is the best way to do this.
Don’t Let the Smells Take Over
If your air conditioner smells musty, like fumes, or even like roadkill, you have a problem that needs to be immediately solved. After looking over your unit on your own, you may realize you need guidance from a professional. Call your local HVAC company to have them come take a look so the life of your unit can get preserved.
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