Smelling odors from your HVAC system is not pleasant. However, these smells are helpful to know when the unit needs to be fixed. The repairs are often quick and inexpensive.
Need to schedule a HVAC repair or maintenance appointment? Contact Cardinal Plumbing, Heating and Air, the leading repair company in Reston, VA. Contact us by phone (703) 719-8253 or contact us online.
Curious about what smells may be lingering in your home? Continue reading to discern what these seven smells mean and how they can help figure out what’s wrong.
Smells Like Mold
Smelling mold is an indication that mold is growing somewhere in your home. If your HVAC system is spreading a musty smell throughout your home, there is a good chance that the mold may be lurking within the unit. There is no need to worry because mold signifies an air quality issue. It is better to solve an air issue before it gets worse and hazardous for your family. This can be fixed by air quality control specialists.
If there is a bigger mold issue in your home, then a device may need to be placed by an HVAC technician which will keep it at bay.
Dirty Socks
Smelling dirty socks might bring you back to the gym locker rooms in high school. However, if the smell of dirty socks is spread by your HVAC unit, it needs to be dealt with quickly. The smell of dirty socks is an indication that bacteria is growing on your coils or somewhere more hidden. The reason why it smells throughout the home is because every time the unit turns on, the smell of bacteria works its way through the duct work into the main living space.
Contact your local HVAC specialists to perform an air duct cleaning to find the bacteria and get rid of it right away. These professionals have the tools needed to get rid of the bacteria and they have plenty of experience to go with it.
Rotten Eggs
Rotten eggs is not a fun smell to inhale when you wake up in the morning. The smell of rotten eggs is a sulfur-like smell that indicates a leak of natural gas somewhere in the home. This tends to be hazardous and dangerous, so act quickly and call the gas company for help.
Before the gas company arrives, make sure to open all windows and turn off the heating system. Do not wait inside your home, instead wait outside until it is confirmed that there are no gas leaks detected in the home. If there are no gas leaks, it is best to call a professional to inspect your home and for further maintenance.
Lingering Household Odors
Lingering household odors can smell normal but for guests it is an unwelcome surprise. The HVAC unit is responsible for this because it distributes the smells throughout the home. The most common smells that are hard to get rid of include pet odors and tobacco smoke.
If you notice that some smells are not going away after weeks of cleaning, it may be time to call in the cleaning crew. HVAC technicians are qualified in treatment systems that will better the air quality in your home.
Something Burning
Are you smelling something burning and you do not have something on the stove? This may happen when an HVAC unit is overheating. If your unit is overheating, check the air filters to make sure that they are not dirty or clogged. A filter that is clogged will obstruct the airflow and cause the unit to work harder to move past the obstacle.
Also, the smell of something burning may be an electrical problem. Accumulation of debris in your unit, is a reason why the burning odor is occurring. This will usually go away on its own. However, in the event that it does not, you may want to google search “heating and air conditioning repair near me”.
Smell of Oil
The smell of oil can be one of two things. Either there is an oil leak somewhere in the home or the oil burner is faulty. An oil leak is likely to come from a filter, fitting or the oil line. To troubleshoot where the oil leak is located, check the burner or for oil droplets near the unit. If there is an oil leak, you may be able to tighten the fittings for the tank. However, for more severe oil leaks, you need to call a technician to help.
If oil is not leaking, the issue might be with the oil burner. A clogged burner could cause the oil burner to malfunction because of the accumulation of debris. If you smell oil or smoke, make sure to listen for unusual sounds too. A licensed technician will have to come and take a look at your unit because they have the tools needed to fix the oil burner.
Smell of Gas
The smell of gas burning is alarming because it is an indication of a leak. If the smell is coming from the vents, the issue may be excess debris and dust that settles on the heat exchanger that burns when turned on.
However, if the smell is coming from the equipment, this is an issue that is very hard to fix on your own. It is dangerous to attempt this on your own, so have a licensed HVAC technician come out and inspect the equipment for leaks and make repairs if necessary.
Air Conditioning Contractors Near Me
Air conditioning contractors know a thing or two about funny smells coming from HVAC units. In Reston, VA the best company to call is Cardinal Plumbing, Heating and Air to figure out what is wrong with the unit. Our team of expert technicians will ensure that once we are finished with your unit, it will run like new.
Schedule an HVAC inspection or repair today with Cardinal Plumbing, Heating and Air at (703) 705-4466 or contact us online.