What’s That Smell?

What’s That Smell Coming From My AC or Heater?

Tom Tynan hosts HomeShow Radio, every Saturday and Sunday on SportsRadio 610. He interviews Rick (a professional HVAC Technician employed by Absolute Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning (now known as Air Tech of Katy) and serving the Houston, TX area for over 30 years) about what it means when your air conditioner or heater is putting off a stinky smell. If your AC system or heater is emitting a putrid, foul stench, give Air Tech of Katy a call and we’ll make your home smell good again!

Video Transcription

Tom Tynan: Mark from Deer Park has a question about a stinky smell. Stinky AC. The smelly sock syndrome. The most common question I’ve been asked for the last 30 years on the radio is, “Tom, what’s that smell?” David from Hubsmith has a question about a smelly AC.

Rick: We call it wet sock syndrome.

Tom: Wet sock syndrome happens in the spring when you turn your AC on for the first time.

Rick: Fungi that have grown on the coil, and they’re microbial. And they’re little bubbles that will burst, and that’s what will create your smell.

Tom: Good news. That smell is easy to get rid of.

Rick: We’re going to go in with a de-fungi solution. It’s kind of recoating the coil.

Tome: Furnaces in the fall sometimes make a burning or smoky smell.

Rick: What that is, is just the dust that’s burning off the elements. If you have electric heat strips or if you have a gas furnace, it’s just the dust is just burning off the heat exchanger.

Tom: If that smell doesn’t go away after a few minutes, you need to shut your furnace off and call a pro.

Radio guest: It makes teary eyes.

Tom: That’s not smelly AC, that’s….

Rick: Unwanted pests get up into the duct system, and they will die in there.

Tom: That smell is going to stick around.

Rick: If you have an animal who’s died in your duct system, it’s time to just replace that one duct. (Laughing)

Tom: The bottom line: If you smell something, do something. Don’t ignore what your nose is telling you.

Rick: Call your local AC company, have them come out and investigate it further.

Rick: Got bad odors, do what I do. Open a window and call the certified HomeSho pro—Air Tech of Katy. For HomeShowRadio.com, I’m Tom Tyden.