Air Conditioning Problems - Smells

17/01/13

If there is an unusual smell coming from the unit. 1 – “Old Socks” smell Caused by a fungus or bacteria growing on dirty coils and drains as the unit breathes in the dust in the room and blows it over the coils to heat/cool it before it is recirculated. Cured by regular and efficient servicing using modern cleaning products, every 6 months is usually the recommended period between servicing visits but some premises which produce organic dusts from sprays etc. may need more frequent visits. 2 – “Fishy, Chemical Smell” Usually only noticed immediately after a service visit and is the smell from the cleaner used. It should wear off after a few hours of operation. 3 – Other smells Air Conditioning only recirculates the air in the room, if the unit has been regularly serviced the equipment itself does not produce a smell. It has been found that, particularly in heating mode, smells in the room are accentuated as the air is blown around. Common causes have been, tuna sandwiches, dog poo on a shoe leaving a smudge on the floor, visitors with hygiene issues and faulty drains.