6 Bad Air Conditioner Smells and What They Mean

Have you been asking yourself what's that horrible odor coming from your HVAC unit and exactly how you can get rid of it? Don't worry, we've got you!

These are the 6 most common strange scents from your HVAC, what caused them and most importantly, how to get rid of them:

1. Rotten Eggs

Be very careful. An HVAC unit that smells like rotten eggs or sulfur often means one thing: there's a gas leak in your house that is entering your ductwork. Gas is an extremely hazardous compound. It can ignite, explode, and decrease oxygen levels in the bloodstream with severe and deadly effects.

WHAT TO DO:  Turn off the gas supply and make sure everyone leaves the house. Then call 911 or your gas business to report the leak.

2. Dirty Socks

Dirty socks is a particular scent that's caused by water or bacteria development in your HVAC system. Although it smells horrible, this smell isn't an indicator of anything harmful.

WHAT TO DO:  First, alter your air filter if it has become wet or clogged up. Next, call an HVAC professional to clear out your HVAC system, particularly the evaporator coil and the drain. (It's ideal to set up yearly maintenance).

3. Burning

A light smell of smoke or burning occurs when you initially activate the HVAC system but is usually due to nothing serious. A gunpowder odor can indicate an electrical fire hazard, a short circuit, motor overheating, or damaged wiring that's sparking.

WHAT TO DO: For a very light whiff, wait a couple of minutes to see whether it disappears by itself. For a more potent odor, turn off the system, leave your residence, and call the fire department. Once the situation has been stabilized, speak to a heating and cooling company to fix or change your air conditioning unit.

4. Cigarette Smoke

The fragrance of cigarettes results from a person regularly smoking indoors. The stagnant smoke tends to be absorbed by your HVAC air filter and the evaporator coil and then redistributed throughout your house.

WHAT TO DO: Clean the filter at least once a month and have your HVAC system expertly cleaned annually. And also try to stop smoking indoors or too close to your windows and doors...

5. Skunk

If it smells like a skunk, it most likely IS a skunk. Skunks may spray your air conditioner's exterior condenser device when they are surprised or frightened. The pungent smell will then be circulated through your air ducts.

WHAT TO DO: Turn off the HVAC unit to prevent spreading the smell. Open some windows to air out your home. Call your friendly local HVAC tech to clean the air ducts and the condenser.

6. Waste

A poisonous garbage-like odor generally indicates that a rodent or bird has made its way into the ductwork and died there. Running your HVAC spreads the odor throughout your home.

WHAT TO DO: Switch off your HVAC and call a specialist to come to remove the animal from your ducts and clean the system to get rid of the smell.

We hope you've found this information helpful. If you have any questions or need any help with your HVAC system, give us a call or book an appointment online.