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4 AC Smells You Shouldn’t Ignore

June 26, 2023 | Blog

A healthy HVAC unit shouldn’t produce any odd smells inside your home. If you notice your cooling system is releasing odd odors throughout your space, that is a sign that you need professional AC maintenance for your system.

Southern Air Heating, Cooling & Plumbing is here for you for all your Baton Rouge AC repair service needs! We go above and beyond for our customers when it comes to taking care of their air conditioning units. We know how important it is to be comfortable inside your home, and if you’re experiencing odd odors – we want to help! Read below for common smells that you need to watch out for.

AC Odors That Signify AC Repairs

As mentioned above, odd smells are not what you want inside of your home. Here’s some smells we want to highlight that you should be aware of, and what actions you can take to fix the problem.

1. AC Air Has A Rotten Smell

When your AC turns on, you don’t expect it to give off strong or foul odors. A rotten smell can tell you that there may be pests trapped inside the vents of your HVAC system.

It’s common for animals to crawl inside of your cooling system due to the vents leading outside. If you’re dealing with vermin in your vents, contact a professional animal control team to remove the problem. Then reach out to our team to get your air ducts in good working order!

2. Burning Odor From Your Cooling System

Your HVAC system has a lot of different electrical components such as wiring, circuit boards and more. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to what your AC smells like when it turns on. If it turns on and gives off a burning smell, it could be a sign that something within your unit is overheating.

If your system smells like it’s burning, we suggest turning off your AC unit completely and calling our team for professional help as soon as possible.

3. AC Smells Musty

Stale smells are the most common smell that cooling units can produce. If your AC smells dingy, it is usually from your drain pan or drip lines causing an accumulation of excess water that is sitting in your unit. Sitting water is known to cause mildew growth as it stagnates in your system. The mildew will eventually put off a musty smell that isn’t too pleasing to smell and needs professional maintenance to clean.

4. Gas Odor From HVAC System

Gas leaks can cause your HVAC unit to produce a skunk-like smell, and it’s the most alarming smell of the four options. This smell indicates there’s a huge problem with your heating and cooling system. If you smell gas from your system, you’ll need to evacuate your home and call 911 as gas leaks can be very dangerous.

Rely On Our Local Baton Rouge AC Repairs!

If you’re a homeowner and your AC is producing odd smells, call us today! We’ll be happy to hear from you at Southern Air Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. We’re happy to assist you with any of your heating or cooling system needs.

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