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An air conditioning unit should be maintained regularly. If not, it may result inthe improper working of the air conditioner which may lead to the emission of a bad smell by your air conditioner when it is turned on.if you can smell mold it may be due to growing mildew in the air ducts of the air conditioner.another source of bad odor in the air conditioner is decaying animals in the ductwork of the airconditioner. These are just some of the sources of bad odor present in an air conditioning unit. It is quite an uncomfortable scenario and embarrassing most of the time. One is advised to contact a professional HVAC contractor to help them clean the air conditioner. Moreover, one can follow the tips below to have a glimpse of how they can deal with bad smells in the air conditioner.

Must-know tips on how to deal with bad odor in the AC

1. Replacing air filters regularly

One is advised to replace the air filters in their air conditioning unit at least once a month. This is to ensure that the trapped dust particles or even tobacco particles in a home where a smoker lives are not blown back into the house when the air conditioner is turned on.

2. Clean the air conditioners ducts and drainage vents

The whole process of air conditioning involves the formation of moisture droplets in the air conditioning unit.the droplets of water are supposed to drain through the ducts or the drainage pipes.if the drainage does not happen completely, the remaining water droplets in the ducts cause bacteria to start growing in the ducts of the air conditioner. This causes the cut to get clogged. Failure to clean the ducts causes a very foul and unpleasant smell to come from the air conditioner. Again, animals can get stuck in the air conditioner and start decomposing causing a smell like that of rotten eggs to transmit in the room when the air conditioner is turned on. Failure to clean the ducts causes a very foul and unpleasant smell to come from the air conditioner. The inside parts of an air conditioning unit should be done professionally by an HVAC technician.

3. Turn off the power connected to the unit

When conducting any maintenances to your air conditioner, ensure that the power connecting the air conditioner is turned off. This is necessary for body safety as well as protecting the air conditioner from any power surges that might cause any circuits to be shortened in the air conditioning unit causing the air conditioner to produce a sulfur-like smell.

4. Clean the condensate drain

When you notice sludge draining from the condensate drain you need to flush the colored water in a water solution with bleach and/or vinegar. This might be due to a clogged condensate drain caused by growing algae and mold inside the condensate drain.

5. Clean the evaporator coil in the air conditioner

Excess dust can pile up in the evaporator coils. Therefore, one is advised to regularly clean the evaporator coils in the AC. It is important because when the evaporator coils get dirty, their efficiency is lowered. Air particles and pollen that had gotten stuck in the evaporator coil are blown into the room contaminating the air. To clean the coil you will need a foaming cleaning agent for coils and it should be done professionally by a qualified contractor.

6. Ensure you have no plumbing issues in your home

It is quite obvious that when you have cracked pipes or sewer lines around or in your home that the sewage odor will get stuck in your HVAC system and get evenly distributed in the house. Therefore, before turning on your air conditioner ensure that you do not have any cracked drainage pipe in your home or even around your home. It can get quite uncomfortable to have sewage smell spread all over your home.

7. Give space for ventilation

This is a tip that most homeowners should know of if they have window air conditioners installed in their homes.this allows for sufficient airflow throughout the house and ventilation is a key tip to keep the air in your home fresh. 

8. Regular repair and maintenance on the air conditioner

If your air conditioner is newly installed or an old air conditioning unit one is advised to have the unit maintained and regular repairs and services done to it by a licensed heating & cooling technician.when the contractor is performing his routine services and repairs on the air conditioner ensure that they

Remove molds and fungus from the unit.
Clean the coils in the air conditioner
Clean the evaporator coil
Unclog the drainage pipes
Resets your thermostat to avoid overheating in the heaters.
Performs a thorough inspection on the refrigerant pipes and replaces any pipe that is cracked or has holes in it.
Checks for any insulations in the air conditioning unit which might have been caused by coating layers forming in specific parts.
Uses a fin comb to straighten the fins and bend them back into shape.

9. Do not leave the air conditioner unused for a long period

Turning off an air conditioner for a long period is also a mistake that most  HVAC system owners do not realize. When an air conditioner is left in an inactive state for a while, air particles tend to settle on the unit. Therefore, when the unit is finally turned on air particles are burned off and immediately produce a horrible smell. This is not quite a big problem unless the smell goes on for a while and is out of control. You are advised to call a technician to help solve the issue.

Having an air conditioning unit that is working effectively is not hard. As long as the unit is maintained and serviced periodically .however, sometimes the bad odors are caused by technical issues in the air conditioner that can only be left in the hands of a professional HVAC contractor.