Nowadays, almost every urban has reached a maximal level of comfort. Homeowners are inclined to keep it as it is without compromising even a handful of what they have.
This includes a higher level of cleanliness and fresh indoor air coming out of their aircon units. No doubt, bad odour is one of the biggest enemies of the modern home.
Aircon is a necessity that can quickly become unpleasant if there’s a musty smell coming out of your air conditioner’s vents. Most of the time, the source of the moldy smell is the air conditioner.
To get rid of it quickly, hire a professional for an inspection as soon as you can.
How Do I Get Rid of The Smell in My Air Conditioner?
Usually, the reason for this is the accumulation of mildew within the system or its air ducts. The process of condensation or clogging inside the unit can quickly turn into a disaster that poses danger to you and your family’s health.
If your air conditioning system starts emitting an unpleasant odour, you must remove the cause immediately. Here are some useful tips on how to get rid of the bad smell.
Start with a Check
To begin with, turn the power to the unit off. This will prevent any accidents that may lead to unwanted injuries. After you do this, you are ready to start your check.
By opening the covers, or access panel of your aircon unit, you can look inside it for any signs of the cause of the bad odor. There’s a chance there are dead animals, like mice, rats, bats, etc.
Most of the time, the cause is much simpler – mold or mildew. If this is the case, then you’ll have to carefully dismantle the unit and place it on a flat outdoor surface.
It is definitely helpful if you can get a professional to troubleshoot and fix the issue for you.
Helpful read: Professional Vs DIY Aircon Servicing
Begin the Cleaning
After you’ve confirmed that the source of the unpleasant smell is your aircon, you can begin the cleaning.
You’ll need a pair of latex gloves, a fin comb, a bucket, bleach and water, foaming coil cleaner and some new filters. With the gloves, you can eliminate the visible debris and remove any dead animals or vegetation.
After that, spray the coil with foaming coil cleaner and let it work for about 10 minutes. This will loosen the dirt and grime that’s left. After you rinse the unit a couple of times, the water running from it should be clear.
Do the Same with the Drain Line
The condensation drain line is a weak link in your system. Since it’s prone to mold and mildew accumulation, you should take proper care of it and clean it with bleach and water solution. If you don’t want to use bleach, you can use undiluted distilled white vinegar.
Either way, the goal is to kill any fungi and mold that may be residing in the line. When you’re done, let the drain line dry. You can install a three-way clean-out valve that will allow you to clean the drain line without removing it.
Helpful read: Professional Vs DIY Aircon Servicing
Don’t Forget the Drain Pan
Mind that window aircon units don’t have drain lines. Instead, they have a built-in drain pan and drainage hole that should also be cleaned. In such cases, you can use an old toothbrush.
After you remove and wash the drain pan or tray thoroughly with hot, soapy water, rinse it with a diluted bleach solution or undiluted white distilled vinegar. When fully dried, replace the pan and you’re ready to go.
Air Filters are Also Important
To make the aircon cleaning complete, make sure you wash or replace your air filters. Since their primary function is to keep the dust and debris from blowing into your home, it’s a good idea to take proper care of them.
If your unit employs reusable filters, you can easily clean them with hot and soapy water. If your filters need changing, make sure you do it every month or two, to ensure your home is free of any mold, mildew and other harmful bacteria.
In more serious cases, you may require an aircon chemical wash or chemical overhaul for stubborn sediments still in the system.
Why Does My Aircon Air Still Smell Bad When Turned On?
After you’re finished, you can reassemble the unit and turn your aircon back on to see if there is any difference in the odor. If the bad smell still persists, then you might have a problem with the duct-work. Better yet, you might need the help of a professional to take a second look.
Besides, professional aircon technicians are well-trained to work with special chemicals. Carrying out a chemical wash once or twice a year will ensure your home is safe from any bad odors coming out of your air conditioner.
How Do You Fix a Smelly Air Conditioner?
To conclude, temperature fluctuation and high humidity are just a few of the reasons for mould and mildew in your air conditioner. Over time, it inevitably accumulates, turning your gadget into a source of musty and foul odour, even when you’re not using your aircon.
If you’re still experiencing the same problem even after following these steps, you might need to call a professional aircon servicing company.
You might also want to check out other common aircon problems and their repair options.
LK Brothers is a Singapore-based company that can provide a thorough chemical wash servicing of any aircon unit. With the help of the company’s technicians, you’ll get rid of the bad odor in no time.
We provide various aircon services such as: