OOH!!! That Smell

Okay Charlotte, Spring is almost here. Right now the temperature is up and down, so you probably haven’t had to turn on your central air conditioning yet. But you know it’s on the way soon. When you turn on your air conditioner for the first time of the cooling season, you may notice a stinky odor coming out of your vents. Stinky conditioned air is a common complaint and one that typically can be remedied easily and inexpensively. There are more than a few stinky smells that can come from your air conditioner. The particular odor you are smelling points to the problem Below are the typical stinky odors people smell and what each means.Musty, Mildew Smell- This is a very common odor. This signals mold or fungus growing in your air conditioning system. Air conditioners remove excess moisture from the air, If this water collects instead of draining, you will get mold growth and a bad odor. Have your a/c cleaned and remember to replace the filter.
Rotten Egg Smell- This odor is typically caused by an animal dying inside your duct work. Critters will crawl inside duct work for warmth in Winter, die and then decompose. When your a/c is turned on for the first time, the odor can be awful. In this case, the duct work will need to be cleaned out.
Burned or Gun Powder Smell- This odor can be due to a shorted out circuit board. Have a professional look at your system to evaluate what is wrong and repair it.
Exhaust Smell- Some of the components in your air conditioner contain fluid that can leak. If this happens an order like exhaust or burning oil may circulate through your home. This is something that need to be evaluated by an HVAC tech immediately.
If you notice any of the smells coming from your air conditioning system, call MTB Heating and Air. We advise everyone to get an a/c tuneup at the beginning of every cooling cycle. At this time, a tech will notice any problems you may have such as odors etc. and take care of them. Tuning up your a/c will make it much more efficient and prolong the life of your system.