Now that spring is here, it's time to switch off the heat during the day and turn the air-conditioning back on. But it's not unusual to notice a few strange HVAC smells when you turn it back on after the winter.

Not sure what's causing the smell? Let's look at some of the most common reasons for those strange odors drifting through your home.

Rotten Eggs

The heating and air conditioning systems in your home or office are designed to be safe and efficient. But sometimes, things go wrong. For example, if you notice a strange rotten egg odor coming from your HVAC system, you may have a gas leak.

Natural gas is odorless, so it's often mixed with a sulfur compound that gives it a distinctive smell. If you smell natural gas in your home, it's best to leave immediately and call 911 or your local utility company.

Sewage

The first thing to remember is that a sewage smell coming from the HVAC system can be caused by any number of things. The most common source of a sewage smell in your home or business is the sewer line, but there are many other possible causes.

Here are some of the most common culprits:

• Sewer line. The sewer line leading from your home to the street can become blocked by tree roots or other debris, causing wastewater to back up into your basement or crawlspace. This can enter your HVAC system through vents and other openings in the home's foundation. You may also have a cracked sewer pipe.
• Dirty air filter. A dirty filter can get clogged with pollutants, causing a foul sewer-like smell. Eventually, the corpses rot, and this smell seeps through your home through the HVAC system.
• Dead animals. It may sound strange, but it's not uncommon. Small animals like rodents can climb into vents and ductwork to keep warm during colder months.

Always contact a professional HVAC technician to fix HVAC smells like methane and sewer smells.

Dirty Socks

If there's a dirty sock smell coming from the HVAC system, mold on the evaporator coil is usually the culprit. Mold and mildew build up on the coil, causing the smelly sock odor.

The mold on your evaporator coil can be caused by not cleaning it out regularly or if there's a leak of some sort in your HVAC system. You should always check for leaks in your ductwork and ensure you are not overloading your system with too many open vents.

Scheduling regular HVAC maintenance and tune-ups help keep your HVAC system clean. A professional technician will check for mold and mildew, replace dirty filters and clean the evaporator coil meaning no more nasty HVAC smells in your home.

Mustiness

Musty smells are often caused by mildew in the ducts or vents. When water gets into your HVAC system, it can lead to mold growth and other problems.

Check for leaks in condensation pipes or drain lines. Condensation pipes are used to channel water from inside your heating and cooling unit outside of your house. They can become clogged with dirt or debris, leading to leaks.

Also, check for clogged condensate drains near outdoor units. Condensate drains are designed to carry away excess moisture from an HVAC unit, so it doesn't get damaged by this extra liquid content. However, if these drains become clogged with debris like leaves, they can't drain water away from the system. This can lead to problems with your air conditioner and cause it to fail.

Electrical Odors

Electrical odors in the HVAC system can be alarming, especially if you have little experience with electrical equipment. Correcting the problem at its source will prevent damage to other parts of your home and save you from having to replace expensive components or even the whole system.

There are several common causes of electrical odors in an HVAC system. The first thing you should do when you notice an unusual smell is to turn off the power to your unit and contact an HVAC professional for assistance.

Oil

The oil in your air conditioning unit is used to lubricate parts of the system that are moving parts, like fans and compressors. This helps prevent wear and tear on these parts, keeping them running smoothly for years

When there's a leak in your air conditioner's system, oil will drip out of its place and onto other components within your AC unit or even outside of it. Unfortunately, this means that turning on your HVAC will release oil smells into your home.

Struggling to find the source of your HVAC smells? Contact the HVAC pros at ProSkill and get rid of those annoying odors.