Air conditioner odours are a common issue we encounter in Edmonton homes, and with a few clues, you can usually identify the source. Many HVAC odours are ultimately harmless, but some can be hazardous to your health and require the expertise of a professional HVAC technician to address. So, what kind of smell is coming from your air conditioner?
Below, we’ll go through common HVAC odours, many of which usually come from your home’s ductwork. Keep reading to learn how our team at Weiss-Johnson can rid your home of unpleasant odours with quality maintenance, repair, and duct cleaning in Edmonton!
Bad Air Conditioner Smells and Their Causes
There are a lot of reasons why a bad odour can show up in your home’s HVAC system. If the smell is coming from your air conditioner or vents, it often means something is happening in your ductwork, or there is a problem with your AC’s mechanical system.
Let’s break down some of the more common smells and their sources, from least harmful to most hazardous:
Dust or burning: Dust, pet dander—all kinds of debris and contaminants— will collect in your ductwork over time. A dusty smell is usually caused by the buildup of dry debris like hair, dirt, and shed skin cells.
If you notice a mixture of dust and a burning smell, this could be caused by build-up on your AC’s heating or electrical elements.
Musty: A musty smell is usually caused by excess water in the air that hasn’t been drained properly, which can cause mould and mildew to grow in your ductwork and air filter.
Vinegar: This smell can be caused by a variety of things, from debris build-up to electrical emissions. However, a vinegar smell may also indicate a clogged condensate drain line, which can promote a slimy type of bacterial growth in your air conditioner.
Electrical: This type of smell may indicate a mechanical problem with your AC unit’s fan or compressor, which can be a potential fire hazard.
How to Get Rid of Bad Smells from Your AC System
Odours in your home can not only affect your comfort but, if left unchecked, cause health and home-safety issues, from allergy flare-ups to mechanical fires.
There are some air conditioner and duct maintenance tasks that homeowners can perform safely to remove bad odours, while others should be handled by professional HVAC technicians. These include:
Change the air filter: Moisture build-up, dust, pet dander, and other debris usually collect on your air filter, which you can resolve by replacing it with a fresh, clean one!
Get a dehumidification system: If your home has a high moisture rate, an HRV can help manage humidity levels and prevent mould, mildew, and moisture build-up in your ductwork.
Get a UV light air purifier: Germicidal lights can help control and kill common home contaminants like bacteria, yeast, and mould. Our techs at Weiss-Johnson can install these lights inside your HVAC system to help remove these harmful contaminants and, in turn, their unpleasant smells.
Get your AC serviced and inspected: If one of the smells coming from your HVAC system is from a more serious issue like mechanical problems in your AC unit, don’t try to fix it yourself; contact our team at Weiss-Johnson for maintenance and repairs!
We’ll diagnose the issue and determine whether your unit needs a professional cleaning, repair job, or if you need to replace it.
Have your ducts cleaned: Bad air in the home is often an indicator that your air ducts are overdue for a cleaning, along with other air quality triggers, like constant sneezing and coughing.
Our team at Weiss-Johnson uses the HyperVac H2 Duct Truck, one of the most powerful vacuum systems in the industry, to complete even the toughest duct clean-outs.
If clogged ducts are the source of your home’s unpleasant odour issue, you can count on our team to get them squeaky clean!
Trust Weiss Johnson for Expert AC Repair and Duct Cleaning in Edmonton
Don’t live with an unsavoury or unsafe odour in your home; partner with Weiss-Johnson for expert air conditioner repair and duct cleaning! Contact us today to learn more about our air quality services, and return your house to a fresh, breathable, and odour-free place to call home.
