You’re the first line of defense when there’s trouble with your AC, including odors, sounds, airflow issues, and temperature problems. When you notice a problem, reaching out to get it addressed can avoid further trouble, including wear and tear from a struggling system. In the case of a rotten egg smell, though, your first action should be getting safe.
Rotten Egg Smell Could Be A Gas Leak
If you’re wondering, “Why does my air conditioner smell like rotten eggs?” and you thought about a gas leak, you may very well be right. It’s wise to take action as you would for any gas leak, contacting the gas company and turning off the gas if you can safely do so. Opening doors and windows on the way to evacuating can help reduce any gas danger in the meantime.
How To Get Ahead of Gas Leaks
Gas leak detectors are available for your home, similar to smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors. The alert from a detector could be helpful in focusing your attention on getting safe right away, rather than wondering whether it is, in fact, a gas leak. You should also consider making sure your smoke detectors are well placed and up to date, and install a carbon monoxide detector as well. These are inexpensive ways to protect your home and family from these major concerns.
Odors Coming From Your Ductwork
Your HVAC ductwork, carrying cool air from your AC and usually heat from your furnace, is very effective at distributing odors and airborne chemicals like natural gas throughout the house. They may enter the system near the AC evaporator unit, and may come from the nearby furnace. Intakes throughout your home, especially in the kitchen, can also pull in and distribute gas.
Common AC Odors You Should Know
People ask questions about a lot of odors coming through their vents in addition to rotten egg smell. Some may represent safety or health hazards, and others are just annoying. They may be difficult to locate, but as with all HVAC-related issues, our experienced technicians have seen almost everything many times before, and can help.
A Few Familiar Odors We Handle:
- Rotten Egg
- Musty, Moldy, Mildewy, “Old Socks”
- Burning Odors
- Exhaust Smells
- Sweet Smells Like Antifreeze
- Cigarettes
Old socks and the like can indicate bacterial or other organism growth in the ducts or filters. Burning odors can be from electrical problems, while sweet smells can be from refrigerant leaks. Exhaust smells from your furnace can also come through the ductwork during the heating season. Cigarette smells can come from smoking where an air intake is located. Other than cigarettes, these odors should get prompt attention from our expert technicians. By catching the trouble early by smell, you’ve saved a lot on bigger issues that might develop!
Maintenance Keeps You Ahead of Many Odors, and Odorless CO
From ductwork organism growth to refrigerant leaks, maintenance, and related services help keep you ahead of developing AC and heating issues. If your heat comes from a furnace, exhaust smells could indicate that the heat exchanger is cracked. That’s something our maintenance technicians check for, which could allow odorless carbon monoxide to circulate. Preventive care helps you relax and enjoy low-stress comfort throughout the year.
How To Make Indoor Air Quality Cleaner
Even when you have telltale odors like those listed here under control, your indoor air can get pretty loaded with airborne particles and normal odors like cooking. Indoor air quality features like HEPA filtration can help clear the air. A well-sealed, energy-efficient home can have air up to five times more contaminated than even outdoor air near a major city. UV lights neutralize organisms and prevent growth, while humidity management keeps dust under control and adds comfort. If, instead of “Why does my air conditioner smell like rotten eggs?” your question is “Why does my AC smell like cleaning products or exotic spices?” IAQ features can be the answer.
Trust Our Experienced Team For HVAC Solutions
Count on NATE-certified Acute Heating & Cooling technicians to get to the bottom of any odors from your AC or heating system. Most of all, though, when you smell rotten eggs, get everybody out, windows open if you can, and call the gas company, then call us!
When you need help with a smelly air conditioner, give our team at Acute Heating & Cooling a call!