Why Does Your Air Conditioner Smell When You Turn It On?

November 01, 2016

The weather is getting colder in the Bay Area and we’ll probably be reducing the use of our air conditioners. This fall period we get many of air conditioner repair calls from homeowners stating that they smell something when their air conditioner turns on for the first time in a while. It’s likely that your air conditioner hasn’t been operating for a little while. In that time, dust may have accumulated inside your system. The first time you activate your air conditioner, that dust will get cleaned out. The smell from this will move through your ducts throughout your house. This doesn’t usually present any sort of hazard and the smell will normally be gone after a short amount of time. However, if the scent does not decrease after a while, please inform one of our experts.

Another reason you could be smelling an stench from your air conditioner is that your air filter may have become blocked. This can cause your blower motor to run harder than necessary and could cause the motor, and/or the air conditioner to overheat.

Your air conditioner is going to be an key part of your life even during this winter season. If you haven’t yet scheduled your annual air conditioner repair, now is the occasion. Our pros will make sure your system is running smoothly and clean the internal components before you have to be concerned about a burning odor. Give us a call at 510-343-9841 to set up an appointment with us.