Air Conditioning Services That Prevent Dirty Sock Syndrome | Chandler, AZ
Have you noticed that your Chandler, AZ home occasionally smells like dirty socks? This smell has a name and is caused by bacteria and mold accumulation in your system. Imagine coming home after a long day at work only to be hit by a stale, musty, dirty sock smell after firing up your air conditioning system. You might even wonder what that is and the measures you can take to resolve the issue. These phenomena are called “dirty sock syndrome” and result from an accumulation of bacteria and mold in the HVAC system. Though its name might sound comical, there’s nothing comic about this phenomenon. An accumulation of moisture and dust in your home creates a favorable condition for the mildew and other bacteria to breed and thrive, resulting in this smell. But what air conditioning services can prevent this?
Short-Term Solutions
A short-term solution is, at times, a longer-term solution. Say that your HVAC system has already developed this problem. What shows that it cannot come back? You can take several measures in the short term to remove this pungent smell and return to comfort at your home. Below are some measures that an air conditioning service provider may take to resolve the dirty sock syndrome.
Change Your Filter
Air filters play a critical role in eliminating the pollutants and contaminants from the air being blown into your indoor space. Unfortunately, some homeowners neglect the air filters. If the air filter is clogged or dirty, it will not do a good job of eliminating the contaminants. It might even block the airflow if too much is clogged up. You can have an air conditioning service plan that includes filter replacement with your trusted HVAC company. However, it is something that you could handle as a homeowner. Unfortunately, this could also mean you forget to replace the air filters when overwhelmed by other household tasks. How often should you replace the HVAC air filters? Well, that depends on what type of air filter you are using. You should replace the filters after every 1-3 months.
Cleaning the Air Ducts
Mold and bacteria could accumulate in the air ducts, particularly in corners and joints with small crevices that cause non uniform airflow. Problems like poor filtration could compound these issues. Should the airflow in your air conditioner be blocked or the filters not catch most of the particles, then you will be experiencing issues like high static pressure in your air ducts. The air conditioning service provider can thoroughly clean the air ducts to remove the particles, effectively dealing with the dirty sock syndrome. You should ensure that your air ducts are cleaned after every 1-2 years to prevent this dirty sock problem. It also ensures that your system will not be straining to cool or heat your Chandler, AZ home.
Cleaning the Evaporator Drain Pan
The other reason why you might be experiencing the dirty sock smell is if the drain pan is clogged up. Although you can address the problem yourself, you should have it cleaned by the air conditioning service provider. This way, they can inspect other parts of the air conditioning system, like the filters, to deal with the problem effectively. Ensuring that the drain pan is clean prevents mold growth, effectively dealing with the issue of dirty sock syndrome.
Cleaning the Evaporator Coils
The evaporator coils are a component of the air conditioner that facilitates heat exchange. Unfortunately, this is where the Dirty Sock Syndrome arises from. The coil effectively cools your home by absorbing moisture from the surrounding air. An air conditioning service provider should perform the process of thoroughly cleaning an evaporator coil. If you choose to clean the coils yourself, you could damage the evaporator coils through improper handling. Although combining all these will almost certainly eliminate the smell, they may only sometimes stop it from recurring if the same circumstances are present in your home. For this reason, you might also think about longer-term options.
Long-Term Solutions
These refer to the fixes that ensure the problem doesn’t arise in the first place. You should consider these solutions alongside short-term solutions for holistic dirty sock syndrome prevention.
Upgrading Your Air Filters
If air filter replacement is the short-term option, you should have an air conditioning service provider upgrade the filters to better ones (those with higher MERV ratings). What sizes and types of air filters your HVAC system can accommodate will determine your possibilities. Most systems can be upgraded by replacing the 1-inch air filter with a 3-inch media filter. This can occasionally prevent an issue from spreading across your system. However, you might need to seek elsewhere if there is too much moisture.
Investing in a Dehumidifier
Installing a whole-home dehumidifier has many benefits, including more comfort and lower utility bills. When it comes to Dirty Sock Syndrome, a whole home dehumidifier will be essential in removing the excessive moisture in your Chandler, AZ home. Although air conditioning systems are designed to control indoor moisture to some extent, they can sometimes be overwhelming. Hence, besides ensuring that it is efficiently functioning, you can have an air conditioning service provider pair it with a dehumidifier.
Leverage UV Technology
UV light is deadly to those bacteria and microorganisms. Since mildew, mold, and bacteria are the microorganisms responsible for the dirty sock syndrome, having an air conditioning service provider install UV lights on your HVAC system is critical. You can install an air purifier that uses ultraviolet light technology to purify your indoor air. These air purifiers ensure great indoor air quality at home, preventing the possibility of dirty sock syndrome.
Call Us!
Are you ready to schedule an in-home service? If you are in Arizona or its environs, contact us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Phoenix today. You don’t have to experience those pungent dirty sock smells any other day. Our technicians will help you resolve the underlying problem to ensure that your home is comfortable.
