As you run your air conditioner in the summer and your furnace in the winter, you should never notice any smells from either. So, when you do, it’s definitely a problem. There are several common HVAC odors that you could smell as your system runs, depending on what issue it has. Find out more about these smells and what causes them.
Mustiness
A musty odor typically signifies that there’s a buildup of mold within your HVAC unit or ducts. This can happen when your system doesn’t properly drain away the condensation inside of it or ducts have collected dust and moisture. Whenever there’s a pooling of water, there’s a great chance of mold developing. As this mold grows inside your HVAC system, it will give off a musty odor.
This mold growth won’t affect how your AC or heater runs. However, you should still have the problem addressed quickly. If you allow this fungus to grow, it will eventually get dispersed throughout your home through the ducts and vents. If you end up breathing in the spores, you can get sick. Reach out to G. R. Freeman Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. in Evansville for heater or AC repair if you start noticing a musty odor, and we can remove mold from your coils and filters using specialized cleaners.
Rotten Eggs
This is among the most serious of odors you could smell from your system. It means that you have a furnace gas leak. Now, natural gas has no smell in and of itself. So, it’s not actually the gas you’re smelling when you have a leak. Your local utility company adds what’s called mercaptan to natural gas systems. When your furnace has a gas leak, it’s actually this mercaptan that emits the rotten egg odor that you smell.
A gas or carbon monoxide leak constitutes an emergency. If you do start smelling this rotten egg stench, turn off your system if you can, and then call G. R. Freeman Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. immediately. We have availability 24/7 to handle heating repair emergencies like this.
Chemicals
If you smell what resembles chemicals coming from your air conditioner, it most likely has a refrigerant leak. This substance helps your AC cool down the air that gets circulated throughout your home. If your air conditioner does spring a coolant leak, you should notice a sign such as warm instead of cold air from the system. You might also begin hearing a hissing noise from your AC. Along with these signs, you should also smell the chemical odor.
Like with a gas leak from your furnace, a coolant leak from your AC is a serious problem that requires professional assistance. Don’t perform any sort of diagnosis for this issue yourself beyond noticing warm air, hissing sounds, and/or this foul odor. Refrigerant is a hazardous substance that only trained technicians, like ours at G. R. Freeman Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. can handle. You risk becoming sick if you expose yourself to coolant.
Burning
Whenever you smell a burning from your HVAC system, it usually means there’s some sort of electrical problem. There might be an issue with the wiring somewhere within the interior of the system. Your HVAC unit might also have an overheating problem. Or, it could be because of a motor burnout. Regardless of the cause of the burning smell, always reach out promptly to have the issue checked out. Neglecting the problem can not only lead to diminished system performance but also possibly an electrical fire.
Gunpowder
This unusual smell coming from your HVAC system could suggest that there’s a circuit board malfunction or a frying of the fan motor. It could also be because of an electrical problem. No matter what’s causing it, this is another situation that you don’t want to ignore. Schedule prompt service with our team so we can come over and diagnose what’s happening.
Exhaust
At times, you may notice what smells like car exhaust coming from your system. The cause of an exhaust odor can result from fluid leakage from either your heater or your air conditioner. Like with most of the other foul odors on this list, don’t wait to report this issue. You’re compromising both your home’s safety and your health if you ignore these smells.
Your HVAC Experts in Evansville
At G. R. Freeman Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc., we’re always here when you need us. We can address via a repair whatever odor you’re smelling from your cooling or heating unit. We also provide AC and furnace maintenance and installations and indoor air quality services.
Call us today if you’re in Evansville or a nearby community.
