Why Does My Air Conditioner Smell? Diagnosing AC ‘Smells’

During the summer, you are running your air conditioner constantly in order to keep your home cool. However, what do you do when you begin to notice a bad odor whenever you run your air conditioner?

This issue is actually a lot more common than you may think and there are many possible reasons why this odor is being created.

Nortek Environmental, Inc., your Naperville Air Conditioner specialists, created the following list of potential reasons as to why your air conditioner has an unpleasant smell and possible ways you can diagnose the problem yourself!

Why Your Air Conditioner Might Smell

• Reason #1. Your Unit is Too Big. Aside from cooling your home, your air conditioner also acts as a dehumidifier on some level. When you have a unit installed in your home and it’s too big in size, it cools your home too fast for your air conditioner to properly dehumidify your home. This leaves excess moisture in your home’s air which create a mold and mildew smell, which is a possible reason that your home may smell a bit funky when using your air conditioner. This is why it is extremely important to make sure that your air conditioner is the proper size for your home, as bigger is not always better!
• Reason #2. Dirty Cooling Coil Whenever your air conditioner is on, it is blowing air over your cooling coils to help bring cool air into your home. If your cooling coils are dirty and/or are growing any type of bacteria on it, this can contribute to your home smelling whenever your air conditioner is turned on. The best way to fix this issue is to contact a licensed HVAC specialist to come and clean your coils at your home!
• Reason #3. Faulty Air Filtration System. If you own some kind of an air filtration system, the main purpose is to remove various bacteria and contaminants from the air in your home. Air filtration systems include Electronic Air Cleaners, as well as UV Light Disinfection systems. If your air filtration system is not working properly, it will not be getting rid of the bacteria and contaminants that cause odor in your home. Additionally, if you are experiencing odor problems in your home because of your air conditioner and do not own an air filtration system, we highly recommend considering one for your home. In Naperville and other Chicago suburbs, we experience several occurrences of pollen and other allergens in the air during our warmer months. The addition of an air filtration system for your home will help you combat these allergens and keep the air in your home purified.

We highly recommend contacting Nortek Environmental, Inc., your Naperville Air Conditioner Specialists, if you are experiencing any issues with your air conditioner causing a bad odor in your home.

Schedule an Air Conditioning Inspection today.