As a homeowner, having a functioning heating and cooling system can feel like a precious gift during the colder and hotter months. But, did you know that these same functioning systems can spread foul odors around the interior of your home. There are various reasons why unpleasant aromas may be coming from your heating and cooling systems, which we will discuss below. But, you should be aware that if you do have bad smells lingering inside your house, dirty air ducts may be the culprit. If you are the original owner of the home, it may be easier to figure out the source of your problem. However, if you live in a pre owned house, and you have never had the air ducts cleaned, it can be harder to locate the issue. Odors that can get trapped in your air ducts can be attributed to cooking aromas, tobacco smoke, vermin and rodents, house pets, mold and bacteria.
Tobacco Smoke
If you are a smoker, or live in a home with a previous smoker, you should know that smoke from cigarettes and cigars can flow throughout the whole house. The smoke gets easily sucked into the air ducts and the smell can permeate the whole house. Plus, nicotine and tar can leave a tacky coating on the interior surface of the homes ductwork. Even if you are industrious about cleaning the interior of the house, that slightly smoky odor will not go away until your air ducts have been professionally cleaned.
Cooking Aromas
When you cook and prepare food the smells from certain meals can leave a strong odor that lingers. These fragrances can be sucked into your air duct system and recirculated throughout the house. Frying foods can cause grease to spread into the air, which can coat the walls of the air ducts. This creates a very unpleasant odor of stale grease to flow throughout the home. Odors can be neutralized after a professional cleaning.
Rodents and Vermin
Rodents and other vermin can crawl into your air duct systems. They can leave dropping in your air ducts. And, some are not able to get out of the air ducts, so they perish inside. Most homeowners are not aware of this until the fouls smell of decay begins to move throughout the interior of the home. This odor does not go away until the dead pest is removed, and the air ducts are cleaned professionally.
Household Pets
You may love your household pets dearly, but they can contribute to the unpleasant odors in the home. Fur or pet dander can get into your air ducts which can cause bad aromas to flow throughout the interior of the home. The fragrance of pet urine can be especially strong, and can cling to the dust within your homes air duct system. Unfortunately, the only way to get rid of this odor is to have your air ducts professionally cleaned.
Mold and Bacteria
Dirt and dust can build up within your air duct system. This debris can act like an incubator for bacteria, which contributes to bad smells inside of your home. Plus, this harmful bacteria can invade your living environment and affect your health.
Mold can grow in your air ducts if there is moisture or humidity in the air. Mold can trigger sinus allergies, and cause respiratory issues. By the time that mold spores get released in the air, they can be distributed throughout your home. A thorough cleaning of your air ducts can help alleviate this problem.
