Does the air in your home seem rank? Does it become noticeably worse when your AC or heat is pumping? If you can smell bad air coming out of your registers, it is safe to say that your problem has to do with your HVAC system. The smell could be coming from your air handler, furnace, pump, or ducts. Basically, it can be pretty much anywhere, so it might be a little bit tricky trying to find the source of your odors. This article explains how and where to look for odors within your HVAC system.
Heat or AC?
First, you need to figure out if the smell is coming from your heat or AC system. If the odor is equally bad while both the heat and AC are running, then that smell is probably coming from the ducts. However, if you have a central AC system with a shared air handler—one that pumps air for the AC and furnace—then it could be the source.
On the other hand, if your air only smells when the AC is running, the source of the problem is probably associated with the air conditioner pump. If it is only noticeable when the heat is running, it probably has to do with the furnace.
Duct Cleaning
If you cannot decide where the smell if coming from, your best bet is to start out with a duct cleaning. Professional duct cleaners can find the problem, while also removing dust and allergens from your duct system that could be causing other problems. Duct cleaning is very affordable. A professional service for a single family home should cost less than $200.
Common Causes
There are quite a few things that could be that actual cause of the smell. Small animal carcasses (birds, mice, etc.) are unfortunate and very smelly. The odor seems to get worse day by day, so you will want to find and fix the problem as soon as you smell it. Often, the odor is simply the result of mold and moisture. Basically, failing to clean your AC system, especially the ducts, is not good for the long term health of your system. You are less likely to have allergies or odors if you invest in regular duct cleaning and filter replacement.
As a homeowner, you have to do your part and spend a little bit of money to rid your system of odors every once in a while.
For more information, reach out to companies like Jahnke Heating & Air.
Share9 December 2018
Every summer, I agonized over energy bills that would shoot into the stratosphere as a result of my efforts to keep cool in the heat. Every time I turned the temperature down, my bills increased. This summer, I decided to take some of the control over my energy bill back. I installed reflective film on my windows that reduced the amount of light and heat coming into the house. I started serving more cold meals or asking my husband to barbecue outside, so that my air conditioner didn't have to compete with the hot stove, and I started doing laundry at night to reduce appliance heat in the house at peak times. I also had ceiling fans installed. So far, the difference in my bill has been tremendous. This blog is a way for me to explore other ways to reduce energy drain during the summer months.