Air conditioner smell: 10 methods for eliminating unpleasant stench in an apartment, what to do

Thanks to air conditioning, stuffiness and heat are no longer a cause for concern. These devices easily lower the air to the desired temperature using a filter system. However, no air conditioner can recirculate forever. In the process of passing air, this device absorbs microbes, bacteria, and mold, the presence of which can be detected by a specific “aroma”. It is possible to defeat the smell from an air conditioner in an apartment if you know the operating principles of this device and its vulnerabilities.

Causes of air conditioner stink

There are a number of reasons that are responsible for the unpleasant odor when the air conditioner is running. You can fix the problem yourself or use professional help. It is necessary to understand that the malfunction of the device has a negative impact on health, so you should not put off diagnostics and repairs.

Long break in air conditioner operation

The first and most common problem faced by air conditioner users is a long break in use. Often this device is turned on exclusively in the summer, so the risk of unpleasant odors increases.

To get rid of the problem, you need to use the system more often.

Violation of air conditioner care rules

An unpleasant odor from the air conditioner also occurs as a result of violation of the rules for caring for the device. To avoid this problem, it is recommended to regularly disassemble, clean and flush the system. This process takes quite a lot of time, but the room will always be fresh.

Late replacement of air conditioner filters

If you do not replace filters in a timely manner, this will also negatively affect the air quality in the room when using air conditioners. This procedure can be done independently, or you can use the services of specialists.

Air conditioner freon leak

If, after turning on the air conditioner, a smell with obvious chemical notes spreads, then the integrity of the cooling system may be compromised, and leaking refrigerant is poisoning the air. Unplug the device and call a repairman. He will “examine the patient” and “prescribe treatment.”

Development of bacteria in the air conditioner

Since the temperature inside and outside the equipment is different, condensation occurs on its walls when the air conditioner operates. Before drainage through the outlet pipes, these water droplets are saturated with household odors and microbes.

When the air conditioner is constantly on, condensation quickly disappears, without having time to release unpleasant odors into the room. Otherwise, if the equipment “stands idle” for a long time, favorable conditions for the growth of bacteria and mold appear inside the unit. They are the ones that give that characteristic smell of mushroom dampness when turned on.

No siphon in the air conditioner

Some careless installers (and owners too) install air conditioners with condensate discharge to the street. As a result, water simply drips onto the heads of passers-by or accumulates in a puddle against the wall of the house. Doing this is not good and wrong.

If you follow the installation instructions, then during installation the drainage pipes are connected to the house sewer system, and a siphon is used to eliminate unpleasant odors. So, if you ignore the need for this very siphon, then all the “evil spirits” from the sewer pipes will smell fragrant in the apartment.

Even if a siphon is installed, but the equipment is not used for a long time, the condensate will evaporate, and sewer odors will begin to pass freely through the empty siphon.

Why is it dangerous?

During a long break in operation, pathogenic microorganisms and dust mites accumulate and multiply in the air conditioner, so after turning on the system, an unpleasant aroma appears, causing discomfort and worsening the quality of life. This smell can negatively affect your health. Stale air provokes an exacerbation of chronic pathologies and disorders, and the emergence of new ones.

First of all, it becomes bad for those who have been diagnosed with allergies, asthma and lung diseases.

An unpleasant odor should not be allowed to appear in public places - supermarkets, offices, hospitals. The current situation will negatively affect the condition of employees and visitors, especially children, and will also reduce the reputation of the institution. Therefore, when the first signs of a problem appear, you should immediately seek help.

Smell when turning on the air conditioner

If you notice foreign odors when you turn on the air conditioner, there is no need to panic. It is necessary to identify what kind of “aroma” the air conditioner emits:

Air conditioner smells like plastic

It is usually felt when a newly installed air conditioner is turned on for the first time. Cheap models often suffer from this drawback. The smell disappears after a few days of use and is not considered an indication of a malfunction of the device. However, you should make sure that the plastic does not melt in the split system itself (usually in heating mode). This can happen when low-quality plastic is used in the production of air conditioners.

Smell of burnt insulation from air conditioner

Did you smell something burning when you turned it on? Immediately unplug the appliance from the electrical outlet. The wiring may have burned out, which could also lead to a fire. To solve this problem, call a specialist.

Putrid or damp odor from the air conditioner

Putrid odor or damp smell is one of the common odors that causes inconvenience to most air conditioner owners. The source of this smell is bacteria and mold fungi that settle inside the device. Since condensation always forms in the air conditioner - water, which is an ideal environment for the development of various microorganisms, the risk of odor is high.

During continuous operation, condensate is drained through the drainage system. In the case when the device has not been turned on for a long time, part of the condensate remains inside and an ideal environment is created for the development of fungi and bacteria, because for their growth they only need heat and dampness.

To avoid the accumulation of liquid, therefore depriving microorganisms of their habitat, install the device correctly. Installation errors can lead to the formation of stagnation of liquid, which is the impetus for the occurrence of stench. To resolve the problem, you can take the following steps:

If the air conditioner has been inactive for a long time, then before turning it on, it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the inside of the device from fungi, disinfect and dry it.
Some models have a feature that reduces the risk of mold growth. It lies in the fact that the fan does not turn off immediately, but continues to work for some time. Thus, the air conditioner itself gets rid of excess moisture inside.
Disinfection with antibacterial agents. Antibacterial agents are purchased in specialized stores. It is sprayed in the place where air is taken in for cooling. Together with the air flow, the droplets penetrate the drainage system and affect microorganisms. Usually this is enough for bacteria and mold fungi to die, and with them the putrid smell disappears.
In the most advanced cases, you will have to disassemble the device and disinfect the inside. If you have little experience in disassembling equipment, then it is better to call a specialist who will clean and treat the air conditioner with you.

Environmental odor accumulation in the air conditioner

Many air conditioners in some modes take air not from the street, but from the room itself. Therefore, if there is a persistent smell in the apartment, then the air conditioner will blow out the same “scented” air, resulting in the so-called “air cycle in a separate apartment.”

A persistent and unpleasant odor is emitted by:

low-quality furniture containing formaldehyde resins;
cigarette smoke;
low quality plastic;
some types of synthetics.

What are there

As soon as you begin to notice foreign odors when the air conditioner is operating, you should not panic; you need to correctly determine the nature of the smell, since further actions and measures to rehabilitate the device depend on this.

Plastics

This smell is observed immediately after the device is turned on for the first time. It most often occurs in cheap models and does not even always go away after prolonged use. This is not considered a problem or malfunction.

Burnt insulation

If you smell burning wiring when you turn on the system, you should immediately disconnect the device from the network. In this situation, most likely, the wires overheated, which could cause a fire and lead to a fire. You definitely need to call a specialist. In order not to encounter such a serious problem, after which it is not always possible to repair the air conditioner, you should not leave it plugged in, as power fluctuations are often observed.

Dampness

The smell of dampness is uncomfortable. Its occurrence can be triggered by bacteria and fungi developing inside the system. This only happens if preventive measures are not taken. These organisms love environments with high humidity, and condensation always forms in the air conditioner, so there is a risk of their development.

If the device is constantly running, the excess liquid is drained. In the case when the device has not been used for a long time, some of the condensation remains inside. To avoid high humidity, you must adhere to some rules and recommendations:

Install the device correctly.
Carry out preventive measures.
Turn on the device regularly.
At the first signs of problems, seek additional advice from specialists.

If a problem occurs, you need to wash it well, disinfect it with antibacterial agents and dry the inside. Products are purchased in specialized stores. They are sprayed at the point of air intake, affect the organisms in the device, and contribute to their death. If the case is advanced, then the internal part is disassembled and processed.

Accumulation of apartment odor

The air conditioner takes air from the room. Therefore, if there is a source of unpleasant odors in the room, the device will accumulate odors and become a source of problems in the future. In most cases, furniture, curtains, plastic and plastic appliances accumulate odors.

Sewers

The sewer smell that spreads through the room due to the air conditioner is the result of an improperly installed drain. If liquid from the device is drained into the sewer, it is recommended to install a siphon.

Basic methods to get rid of air conditioner stink

The solution to the problem of getting rid of the stench when the air conditioner is running will depend on the provoking factor. If the cause is determined correctly, then eliminating the unpleasant odor will not be difficult.

Drying humid environments

When purchasing an air conditioner, it is recommended to pay attention to models that have a delay function for turning off the fan after the device has already been turned off. This dries the evaporator and prevents the creation of a high humidity environment and unpleasant odors.

If the air conditioner does not have such a function, then this procedure can be done independently. It is necessary to manually turn on the ventilation for 3-5 minutes and only then turn off the device. If installation is incorrect, you can only get rid of the smell and moisture by reinstalling the system.

Conditioner treatment

It is recommended to clean the air conditioner regularly to prevent dirt from accumulating inside the device. Particular attention is paid to hard-to-reach places - the evaporator, since fungi and bacteria most often accumulate there.

This is a labor-intensive task that requires disassembling the instrument panel, so without proper experience nothing will work.

Specialists clean these areas using gas and foam. The method is not as effective as manual cleaning, but it helps to cope with the unpleasant odor. The most common means of treatment are gas, foam, liquid antiseptic and hand washing.

Gas treatment of air conditioner

In order for the disinfection of a gas antiseptic to give the desired result, preliminary preparation of the air conditioner is required:

turning on air circulation;
An antiseptic cylinder is activated near the air intake hole and the room is closed for 10-15 minutes;
airing the room.

This method is considered the simplest and less effective, so you should understand that after some time the device has been in operation, the smell will appear again.

Foam conditioner treatment

When foaming an air conditioner, a cylinder filled with foam is used, which must be released inside the device onto the ventilation and air conditioning elements. Then the air conditioner turns on, the heating of which causes the foam to expand and penetrate into hard-to-reach places. It will settle within 15-20 minutes.

This processing method is considered more effective than the previous one. The product penetrates inside the device, thereby killing pathogenic microorganisms. But there are cases when this method does not give the desired result.

Liquid conditioner treatment

Special products are used to treat the air conditioner with liquid antiseptics. Do not use household chemicals, as they can harm the device. Special solutions help fight fungi and bacteria without harming the elements of the device.

The treatment is carried out with a spray gun, paying attention to the air duct channels and the air conditioning system. Vapors of the product are sucked in through the air intake when the device is turned on. The solution will be ineffective if you do not first clean the inside of the air conditioner.

Manual washing of the air conditioner

This method is considered the most effective in combating unpleasant odors. The system is completely disassembled and cleaned. This will require professional help. The process will take a lot of time, but the guarantee of achieving the result will be 100%.

Air conditioner disinfection

There are special antibacterial products available for sale that are designed to clean and disinfect air conditioners.
For cleaning purposes, it is also possible to use alternative options, such as:

Products for treating machine air conditioners - they can be purchased at all auto stores.

Cleaning the filter yourself: instructions for craftsmen

For those who decide to carry out the manipulation themselves, a short guide will help. The instructions contain 7 steps:

Disconnect the equipment, remove the body front.
Clean all elements from debris, cobwebs, and dust.
Wash the filters (those that can be washed) thoroughly under the tap.
Spray disinfectant onto particularly contaminated areas.
After 15-20 minutes, wash off the dirt.
Reinstall the parts and turn on the equipment to remove excess moisture.
Spray the disinfectant again, only now in the air, in front of the split system.

The air conditioner (optionally, Leberg LBS/LBU-LOK13) should be left on for up to 40 minutes. When all its parts are completely dry, the bactericidal cleaning process is complete.

This is interesting: How to make an air conditioner from an old refrigerator: assembly guide

Before putting the front panel in place, it is also washed to remove dust and dirt. The same should be done with blinds and other parts of the body.

Note: disposable filters, which are used to combat harmful microorganisms, cannot be washed. They are subject to periodic replacement.

Installing antibacterial filters in the air conditioner

Installing antibacterial filters in your air conditioner is a universal way to solve problems with unpleasant odors. There are several types of filters that help fight certain “odors”, as well as various microorganisms:

Photocatalytic . This filter is installed on almost all modern air conditioner models. It absorbs any odors of organic origin. It contains titanium dioxide (titanium white), which accelerates the breakdown of organic substances. The white itself is not consumed, but acts only as a catalyst.
Plasma ionizer . Perfectly disinfects the air from various pathogens: bacteria and viruses, and traps dust particles. The air passes through metal plates, between which a very high voltage passes, which guarantees not only protection against bacteria, but also against foreign odors.
Catechin . Antiviral filter. It uses catechin, a plant substance that has a powerful antibacterial effect. The record holders for catechin content are tea leaves;
Wasabi. Another filter using plant materials. Japanese horseradish - wasabi - contains a substance that copes with pathogenic bacteria and disinfects the air.

If everything is in order, but the smell of sewage in the bathroom persists

Sometimes, even with perfect cleanliness, careful handling of plumbing fixtures and proper installation of the system, there are still odors in the premises. Most likely, this is due to excess pressure in the sewer riser.

You can get rid of this problem by altering the system only in a private house, but residents of apartment buildings, especially new buildings, often suffer from such inconveniences.

The solution in this case is to install a vacuum valve for sewerage on the riser or riser.

Of course, installation of such a device is only possible when replacing the riser or (the best option) major repairs of the sewer system.

The prices for vacuum valves are quite high (compared to other communication elements), but their use allows you to get rid of the painful problem of sewerage smell in the toilet and kitchen.

To avoid problems

But in order not to “introduce” such aromas in your apartment, you need to follow several important rules.

Order air conditioner installation from trusted specialists. If installed incorrectly, stagnant swamps appear, emitting miasma.
Check with the installer how he plans to organize condensate drainage. If he connects the drainage to the sewer and plans to simply bend the outlet pipe, refuse the services and call competent specialists. Installation of a siphon in front of the sewer is mandatory.
If your air conditioner does not turn off the fan immediately after turning off the cooling, it means that it independently gets rid of condensation on the evaporator. If the manufacturer does not provide such a function, turn on the ventilation mode for a few minutes after finishing work. The air conditioner will expel the air, the moisture will dry out, and fungi and bacteria will die on a dry surface.
Understand your air filters. If they can be washed, do it as indicated in the instructions, and when their service life expires, replace them with new ones. Even ultra-modern antibacterial filters will become a breeding ground for bacteria if they are not changed in a timely manner.
Regularly wipe off dust from the surface, vacuum accessible areas, and at least once a year call specialists to clean and disinfect the “internals.”
Buy a disinfectant for air conditioners and periodically spray in the air intake area. Such “inhalations” prevent the growth of bacteria.

Well, of course, the condition of the air conditioner directly depends on the cleanliness of the air in the room. It is a priori impossible to have a clean air conditioner in a dirty, dusty room. Vacuum, do wet cleaning, ventilate in a timely manner, and then the cooled air will be clean and fresh.

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An unpleasant odor sometimes appears some time after installation and operation of the air conditioner, negating all the pleasure of purchasing it. This smell can even lead to serious illnesses (allergies, asthma, etc.).

TOP 10 methods on how to get rid of unpleasant odors from an air conditioner in an apartment