4 Reasons Your Air Conditioner Smells Musty

Common Reasons Your Air Conditioner Smells Musty

Imagine it is a hot and arid day in Ontario, and all you want to do is to come to your cool and cozy home. But you walk into your door, and you are greeted by a musty and unpleasant odor that does not give you that relaxing feeling of walking into an air-conditioned room. If your air conditioner smells bad, it is undoubtedly a cause for concern. Also known as dirty sock syndrome. The presence of extra moisture causes dirty sock syndrome. However, in order to pinpoint the exact source of the musty odor, you will need to know what is causing the accumulation of moisture in your cooling unit. AC odors can be due to one of the following reasons and may warrant AC contractor Milton.

  • Unit Is Too Big: The first thumb rule while shopping for an air conditioner is to pick a unit that is neither too big nor too small for your house. When a cooling system is too big, it will cool your home extremely quickly. This will not leave enough time for moisture control or dehumidification to take place.
  • Poor Filtration: All HVAC systems have a simple filter system integrated with them. The filter works to trap contaminants and keep them from entering the cooling equipment. With the many advancements in technology, you can integrate UV lights for enhanced contaminant control. But, when the filter system fails or does not function as intended, contaminants remain in the air. These contaminants can cause a musky odor and also affect indoor air quality immensely.
  • Coil Coverage: The evaporator and condenser coils in your air conditioner exchange heat constantly. While the evaporator coils pull out heat from the air indoors, the condenser coils release it outside. Both these components depend on their surface area to ensure optimum cooling. However, with time dust, dirt, grime, and other forms of debris settle over these coils. When the debris begins to combine with the moisture in the environment, it leads to mold growth on the coils. Needless to say, when air passes over the coils, the mold spores are bound to get picked up and carried into the home, causing the musky odor. Therefore, it is prudent to call in a reliable HVAC technician to clean the coils and eliminate mold and dust build-up.
  • Condensate Drain Clogs: Musky odors can also be caused when there are clogs in the condensate drainage system. The cooling process produces moisture or condensation when the air is dehumidified. The condensate drainage system is designed to handle the moisture, thus producing and removing it from the cooling unit. However, clogs tend to develop easily in the drip pan when dust and dirt accumulate. This also leads to the growth of mold, which further clogs the pan and impedes drainage. In some cases, clogs can develop further down in the condensate drain line and may need an HVAC technician to look into it. The drip pan and line need to be cleaned out regularly to eliminate clogs and musky odors.

If your air conditioner is emanating a musky odor, waste no time, contact B.A.P. Heating & Cooling Services. We provide reliable air conditioner repair services in Milton, ON. We also provide emergency air conditioner repair in Milton, ON, and nearby areas. Call us at (647) 250-0619 to schedule an air conditioning repair or maintenance service.