Getting Rid of Air Conditioner Odor

Now that summer is officially here and temperatures are rising, A/C units are being revved up across the country. For many of us, this is the first time our unit has been operated for several months. If your AC unit hasn’t been operated in a while, chances are you are just now discovering issues. There is nothing worse when you first crank it up on a hot day than a dank, musty or otherwise unpleasant odor permeating throughout your home.

These smells typically come wafting through your home’s central air and ventilation system when there is a buildup of dirt, mold or mildew, or sometimes even bacteria, in your air conditioning unit. There are steps that can be taken to clean the unit and thereby eliminating the wet dog (or worse!) smell, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Once you have the issue fixed, make sure you clean your unit regularly and follow up with a reputable contractor for routine maintenance.

 

as you know...

Every price on ServiceWhale is negotiable. That means you can always find the best deal on your project!

Steps To Clean Your Unit

The air conditioner that sits outside your home operates on the basic refrigeration cycle (compression, condensation, expansion, evaporation). This means that the unit, no matter the size or model, will have a compressor, a fan, condenser coil, evaporation coil and some type of refrigerant to flow through the system in a closed loop. One of the most common sources of bad odor is when portions of the system build up dirt, mildew, dust or even bacteria.

On the off chance that the smell is not from a buildup of bacteria, do a visual inspection in and around the unit. Clear away any debris: dirt, leaves, decaying plants or dead animals. These can all contribute to odor and/or blocked air flow. Before you do any work on the unit, make sure you secure (turn off) electrical power. You can do this by locating your central breaker panel and opening the one that supplies power to the air conditioning unit. Do not perform work on an energized air conditioning unit!

The most common cause of odor, however, is the build of dust and dirt on the refrigerator coils or bacteria that accumulates in the drip tray or from leaks in the system. You can purchase foaming coil cleaner at your local hardware store. Follow the directions on the packaging to clear away any mildew or dirt on the coils.

Next you will want to clean the condenser drain line to remove any clogs or build up. You can do this by removing the section of piping and rinsing it with bleach and hot water or distilled white vinegar (undiluted). This will eliminate and fungi, mildew or mold buildup.

The drip tray also needs to be cleaned. This can be done with soapy, warm water and some elbow grease. Rinse clean with your bleach solution or more distilled vinegar. Make sure to check your owner’s manual, but the last step is to clean or replace any filters located in the unit. These will differ by make and model of your unit, so it’s best to use the manual.

Call for Help

If you are hesitant about tackling this project alone, you can always call a reputable, high quality, contractor. The ServiceWhale website is fast, easy to use, and will set you up with an Air Conditioning professional to rid you of your dank, musty smell in no time, with reasonable prices and quality service.