You get home after a day spent outside in the blistering heat of summer, eager to enjoy some cool comfort for the evening. 

…only to discover that your air conditioner smells bad when you turn it on.

Now you have to decide between breathing the fumes or spending your evening all sticky and hot. Better yet, get to the bottom of why your air conditioner smells so that tomorrow it won’t be the same story.

Here are five things that could be the culprit.

1. Good Old Mold

If you live in a humid area, you are already well acquainted with the battle against mold and mildew.

Air conditioners act as dehumidifiers to some extent by removing moisture from the air during the cooling process. However, an excess of moisture can cause mold and mildew to begin growing inside the unit itself. 

Ways to avoid this include:

If that doesn’t do the trick, you may want to consider installing a whole-home dehumidifier.  

2. Your Unit Is Too Big

Did you know that your AC system can be too big for your house? This is an often-overlooked reason why there is too much moisture in your system.

When your AC is too powerful, the air gets circulated through your home too fast. This means that there isn’t time to properly dehumidify the air, resulting in extra moisture entering the system.

3. Cigarettes

Does anyone smoke in your home? Cigarette smoke clogs up the filters, and the smell can accumulate there and in the evaporator coil. 

Smoke a few times in a house with the AC on, and every time you turn it on, you’ll be flooded with the smell of cigarette smoke. 

Changing out the filter frequently can help, but the smell will continue unless you stop smoking in the house. Or, better yet, stop smoking altogether since cigarettes have a hand in approximately 1 in 5 deaths each year. 

4. Refrigerant Leak

Does your system smell like rotting eggs? There’s a possibility that you could have a refrigerant leak. 

If this is the case, you’ll need to have a technician come out an inspect your unit immediately as it is dangerous to breathe this gas. They’ll need to find and repair the leak. Then they’ll refill the gas to get your system in good working order again. 

5. A Dead Invader

An unfortunate source of a stinky AC can be a rodent or other small animal that got into your system and died. If your house smells like roadkill, this could be the culprit.

You’ll want to call in the professionals for this one. Not only is disposing of the animal a nasty job, but it’s also likely they’ll have to take apart part of the ductwork to find it. Unless you know what you’re doing, that’s not a good DIY project.

Say Goodbye to Nasty Air Conditioner Smells

If your air conditioner smells less than pleasant, you may be able to take care of the problem by changing out your filter. However, in many cases, the problem will be more widespread, requiring professional maintenance or a thorough cleaning. 

Feel free to contact us here at Sewell Electric in Franklin, TN. We can help you with all your HVAC needs, including stinky air conditioners!