What’s that smell? | Air Conditioning Systems

Air Conditioning Maintenance & Prevention

If you live in Kelowna, you probably use your air conditioning system daily throughout the summer. Unpleasant odors, mainly caused by mildew growth, are a common problem for all types of air conditioners. In cars specifically, mildew growth occurs when individuals run their A/C on re-circulation constantly, or when the drain gets clogged. Since the A/C system doesn’t dry out completely, the mildew starts to grow and the odor begins! You might ask yourself, “What’s that smell…?”

Odors coming from your air conditioning can affect your health, especially if you have allergies. Simply put, the mildew and mold growing in your A/C will travel inside of the vehicle and affect air quality.

Here is what you do to prevent the build-up of mildew & odor:

• Run it on re-circulation only when something smells offensive outside, or you want to cool down very quickly.
• Increase the amount of fresh air intake into your A/C vents (turn off re-circulation).
• Monitor your A/C drain to ensure it isn’t clogged or experiencing water build-up.

Tips to remove the unpleasant odor effects:

• Run the heater on full for a while; this will dry out the A/C system and might ‘cook’ the mildew.
• Change your cabin air filter (if you have one).
• Purchase mildew-remover spray for the A/C system (read the instructions carefully).
• Let us inspect your vehicle at Motor Werke.

Coolant Smell

Do you smell antifreeze from your air vents? The smell of hot coolant is very distinctive and has a strong, sweet odor. If it seems stronger when the heat is on, it’s possible that leaking coolant odors are traveling in with the ventilation air from an under-hood leak. Any sign of coolant odors or leaks should be inspected immediately to prevent any engine damage. Again, we’d love to have you visit the shop for a formal diagnosis. Book your appointment now!