My HVAC unit had been omitting some weird smells for a week now.
It was aggravating because it was impossible to stay indoors without some form of air freshener being sprayed, but to make it even more concerning is the fact that the odor seemed to intensify with time.
It started as a musty smell but got stronger, and I was worried now, because my parents would be coming over in a week. I did not want them to go to such an environment, my dad is absolutely sensitive, and if there were something wrong with the air quality in my house, I would be forced to book them a hotel which will not be the same. I have missed my parents since they had taken an extended trip and were only returning after 2 years. I wanted to host them for a few weeks before they could go back home, which meant that I had to fix the odor issue asap. I called the HVAC professional, and she had a few ideas to help us. First, we needed to identify the potential complications that could be triggering the foul odor. It could have been an issue with excess moisture in the HVAC ducts or vents, which caused a hidden leak. Due to the accumulation of moisture, the aftermath would be a bad odor. However, my air vents were dry and perfect. Next, we checked the condensate line to be sure that everything was draining. It turns out that it was plugged and accumulated mold that was slowly spreading throughout the system. Surprisingly, I did not notice this earlier, but I had been so tied up the past few weeks that the heating, ventilation and A/C method was the last thing on my mind. The professional directed me on how to wash it.