When it comes to your home and ensuring that it is the cleanest and healthiest, sometimes you have to look at the less visible things. While you are occupied with cleaning your carpets, wiping down your countertops, or scrubbing the floors with a mop and bucket, there is one thing that might lurk behind every turn: bad smells.
If you smell something funky coming from your air ducts, we have ten reasons why that could be happening.
- Air Fresheners
The scent of your air freshener can get into your air ducts and make it smell that way. You could use lime or lemon scent to cover up this odor, but you need a way to filter it out completely.
- Fireplace
If you use your fireplace often and it uses artificial logs, you might end up with smelly air ducts. This is because most artificial logs use paraffin wax which burns just like natural wood.
Using your fireplace can make everything from your air ducts to wallpaper smell of a campfire when you’re in the room with the fire going. The more you use your fireplace, the more the smoky smell spreads around your home.
- Cooking
Particularly if you have an electric stove and use the hood to vent your cooking fumes, you can end up with your air ducts smelling like a well-used restaurant kitchen.
That’s because such vents typically go right into the living room, where they’re as close to people as possible. If the vent filters get clogged with grease, food particles, and hair, it can block airflow.
- Pets
Pets are a significant source of smelly air ducts. That’s because pets shed fur, snack on food, or urinate on the carpet. Pet odors stink when they get into your air duct and spread throughout the home.
You might notice an odor similar to that of a litter box. If so, you should probably get some special pet-friendly filters for your system.
- Tobacco Smoke
If you have smokers in your house, cigarette or cigar smoke can quickly get into the air duct and make it smell like a smoking area. Another possible source is tobacco smoke entering the home from outside. If that happens, the air ducts will pick up the scent and spread it throughout the house.
- Clogged Ducts
Regardless of the reason, the first thing you should always do when you suspect a problem with your air ducts is to unplug them. Then, if there is an issue with your system, the potential causes will be diminished.
Look around for obvious signs of clogged air ducts, usually in the form of dust or pet hair. If you see these problems near the air ducts, you’ll want to see how bad it is. Look from underneath.
Once you’ve seen what’s blocking your ducts, you can choose how to fix the problem. For example, finding out that the reason why your air ducts smell is just a simple blockage can be quickly taken care of by vacuuming it out or just cleaning it up in general.
But, if you find that rodent droppings, critters, or nests are blocking your air ducts, you’ll need to get an exterminator to do something about it.
- An Overload of Stuff
The more you store, the more things can get stacked in your home, which can start to collect dust, dirt, or even mold. When this happens, the bad smells can seep through your air vents and other cracks in your home’s walls and floors.
If your home is feeling stuffy, consider getting a good allergy inspection from professionals. Notably, a good cleaning will ensure that the smells are not coming from your air ducts.
- Kitchen Smells Can Spill Over
The kitchen, for many people, is one of the most important rooms in their home. It is where families come together to eat and bond and cook a meal. Unfortunately, while it is essential to keep your kitchen clean, the smells of a meal you were recently cooking, a garbage disposal that needs cleaning, or an overflowing garbage can might get into your air ducts.
If you do not have a smell-eating filter, you are probably blowing these smells all over your home. Consider installing one to help combat this issue.
- A Bad Air Filter May Be the Problem
The air filters in your home can affect the temperature and sometimes even your air smell. You should change your air filter at least once a month to get the maximum amount of cold air through those vents. This will keep your vents from getting clogged up with dirt and debris.
If you are experiencing a problem with your air ducts, you need to get an air filter immediately. This will help keep the air ducts from smelling like musty old socks.
- Your Air Conditioning System Has Issues
Air conditioning systems can significantly impact your home’s temperature and humidity levels. Even though it is excellent that you have air conditioning, it can still cause issues with the air ducts.
Forced air from an HVAC system can reach up through the vents into the rooms, and if it does cause problems, you should contact a professional to find out what the source is. Because this machinery is responsible for keeping your home cool during the summer, it is best to ensure it works correctly.
Final Thoughts
Have you ever heard the old saying, “cleanliness is next to Godliness”? If you are not cleaning your air ducts, then God help you! The air ducts will be clogged with dust and dirt and may also hold onto smells that won’t disappear.
At least once a year, you need to have your air ducts cleaned by a professional. If you don’t want to spend the money, try using the best duct cleaner on the market.
If you have issues with your air ducts, then Organic Home Service can help you.
