When your air conditioner starts putting out strange or gross smells, it is important to take notice because it could be a sign of a significant problem. Ignoring unpleasant smells coming from your cooling system could lead to serious damage to your air conditioning or even pose a risk to your health and safety.

Depending on the cause of the odor, the culprit might be bacteria or fungus in the system. In other cases, it could also indicate something mechanically wrong with the air conditioner. Some smells are a warning of a hazardous scenario, such as a natural gas leak.

At All Solutions Heating & Cooling, we have a nose for these sorts of things. If you smell something peculiar coming from your AC, chances are our team of skilled pros has smelled it, too—and fixed it! We’ve earned the reputation as the premier company for air conditioning repair in Portland.

What does a specific odor billowing coming from your cooling system mean? Here are some frequent air conditioner smells and what they may mean:

My Air Conditioner Smells Like Feet

If your air conditioner smells like feet, it could be due to a buildup of bacteria or fungus inside of it. When moisture collects inside the unit, it can produce an environment that is conducive to the growth of bacteria and fungus. This can produce a nasty odor that is often described as smelling like dirty feet.

Another possible explanation for the stench of dirty feet could be a dirty air filter. When your HVAC system's air filter becomes choked with dirt, dust and other contaminants, it can cause low air quality and a musty smell that bears a resemblance to feet.

To fix this unpleasant situation, it's important to have a professional inspect and clean your air conditioning system, including the evaporator coil, drain pan and condensate drain line. It's also important to replace the air filter on a regular basis to promote good air quality and restrict the growth of bacteria and fungus.

The Air Conditioning Smells Like Rotten Eggs

If your smells like rotten eggs, it may be the result of a natural gas leak in the unit or in the surrounding area. Natural gas has a recognizable odor, often described as smelling like rotten eggs or sulfur, that is added to it to make it easily detectable.

A natural gas leak is extraordinarily dangerous and requires immediate attention. If you suspect a gas leak, turn off your air conditioning system, immediately open windows and doors to ventilate the area, get everyone out of the building and call your gas company or