It’s a surprisingly warm morning (by June standards, anyway). The sun is shining, birds are singing. You stretch out and take a deep inhale of the fresh morning air.
And that’s when you’re hit by a nasty stench!
Nobody likes waking up to a smelly house – least of all in the winter, when you can’t exactly go outside and airing your house out means letting the temperature drop to freezing.
Frantically, you stumble around looking for the cause. Did a bin burst? Did somebody leave their dinner out overnight? Did the dog have a bathroom emergency?
Surprisingly, it isn’t any of these things.
So, what could it be instead?
Are you surprised to learn it could be your air conditioning unit?
That’s right – your AC can actually give off a bad smell, usually when it’s been poorly maintained.
Need air conditioning in Brisbane? Tri the best – reach out to the team at Tri-Tech on (07) 3394 0222. Alternatively, you can fill in this form for a free quote or to ask any questions you may have.
How a poorly-maintained air conditioner can emit a bad smell
Yes, you heard that right: the culprit may actually be your air conditioning system!
In particular, an air conditioner that is poorly maintained can lead to unpleasant scents spreading throughout your home or office.
Additionally, it can also present serious health hazards for your family, employees, or customers.
Just another reason why you should call a professional for regular air conditioning repairs in Brisbane!
So, how exactly is your air conditioner responsible for all those bad smells? Here are some of the most common causes of a smelly air conditioning unit.
1) Musty, mouldy smells
Air conditioning systems deal with a lot of moisture – that’s just how the fundamentals of air conditioning operate. Not to mention, many also double as dehumidifiers.
As a result, this can lead to excess humidity and moisture building up in your air conditioner.
Shouldn’t be a problem right? Unfortunately, dark, humid places are exactly where mould and mildew like to make their homes!
In addition to making your house smell unpleasant, this can also affect health.
Asthmatics and those with respiratory conditions are especially hard-hit, though even those of us with healthy lungs can still suffer from mould infection in the lungs.
The best way to protect yourself from musty, mouldy smells is to get your air conditioning cleaned and maintained regularly.
In particular the filters, evaporator coils and tubes are major hotspots for mould and mildew growth.
As such, they should be inspected frequently, with any problems fixed ASAP.
2) Do you smell dirty socks?
It might not be your laundry basket – in some cases, the problem might be with your air conditioner!
Evaporator coils, condensation drain pans and stagnant water can all create a smell that’s similar to dirty socks or feet.
Thankfully, draining and cleaning the sources of these smells normally fixes the problem.
Of course, pulling off this type of clean often involves disassembling much of your air conditioner.
This isn’t a job you can do on your own – it requires a professional to ensure that the problem is dealt with properly, and that your system is put back together afterwards.
Rely on Tri-Tech for expert air conditioning services Brisbane.
3) Burning smell
If you smell the distinctive scent of smoke wafting throughout your home, we have one piece of advice: evacuate immediately!
Smoke is never a good sign – but we’re sure you didn’t need us to tell you that.
It should go without saying that if you or anyone immediately around you is in danger, calling Triple Zero (000) should be your first port of call.
Using advanced heat-detecting tools, firefighters can detect sources of burning that mightn’t be immediately obvious such as smouldering electrical faults in your crawl space.
Sometimes, they might point the finger at your air conditioner.
Yes, you heard that right!
Over time, electrical components in your air conditioner can wear out.
This can lead to:
- Short circuits
- Overheated motors
- Wiring problems
If the fire brigade fingers your air conditioner as the problem, it may be time to get your air conditioner replaced in its entirely.
Not only will you enjoy more powerful cooling when summer comes back around, but you’ll also be safer for it!
4) Rotten eggs
Possums, rats, and mice love living in our walls rent-free.
After all, they have everything they need looked after: warmth, shelter, food… your home has it all.
And sometimes, they decide to make a home out of your air conditioning ducts.
This happens a lot during the winter.
Unfortunately, sometimes these animals can die in your ducting and begin to decompose.
In addition to being extremely unpleasant, this can also present several health problems of its own.
We recommend calling a professional trapper or wildlife removalist to ensure that animal carcasses are removed safely and hygienically.
In cases where ratty teeth have destroyed components of your air conditioning system, we recommend organising an inspection with a member of Tri-Tech’s expert tech team.
We’ll inspect your unit and help you distinguish whether repair or replacement is the most cost-effective solution.
Tri Brisbane air conditioning team for service and repairs
Call Tri-Tech for air conditioning repairs and service in Brisbane
You might think a spray of air freshener will suffice. And indeed it may… but it’s only a temporary fix.
The moment it wears off, you’re back to square one
The only way to solve a stinky air conditioner is to dive into it and remove the offending part, component or obstruction. That, or avoid a smelly air conditioner altogether!
That’s why regular air conditioning inspections and cleans are so important.
During these critical inspections, sources of unwelcome smells are identified and fixed before they have the opportunity to stink up your home.
With 30 years under our belts and a huge span of experience working with a wide range of air conditioning systems, Tri-Tech is the team to call for air conditioning repairs in Brisbane. Servicing and repairing Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Fujitsu and other popular air conditioning brands.
If you’ve been putting off inspection or repair, now’s the time to change that! In fact, winter is the best time to schedule an air conditioner inspection – so you can beat the summer rush!
Call Tri-Tech today on (07) 3394 0222, or click here to contact our team.
