Air conditioners can grow mold and start to blow smelly, unhealthy air into your home if not cleaned properly. Fortunately, a windowed unit doesn't cost much to keep clean; you just need a bleach and water solution and the right approach. The video above demonstrates how you can easily clean out an odor and keep your air conditioner running at top efficiency. It basically boils down to this:Wash the filter: Your air conditioner's filter collects a lot of dust and debris. It can effectively blow cold air into your home if that filter is full of crap. Wash it off with the bleach and water solution for better airflow without a funky odor.Clean the coils: Evaporator coils lie beneath the air filter. You'll need a brush attachment on a vacuum (or a handheld with a similar function) to get the dirt off quickly, but you can just use a scrub brush if your prefer the old-fashioned way.Straighten the fins: If you've got bent fins on your air conditioner, fix 'em! You just need to pick up a fin comb at your local hardware store and use it.

For the most part, you really just need to wash the filter. Unless you've been using the air conditioner for a long time, that's likely causing the most inefficiency and where you'll find trapped smells first. types of commercial air conditioning unitsIf not, move your way down the list.cost of outside air conditioner unit My Air Conditioner Smells Bad! | hvac unit designHead right to the source. Most HVAC systems have the air filter housing as close to the blower unit as possible in the return air duct. Air filtration happens as the blower draws air through the filter and into the furnace for heating and circulation. That way as much as possible (dust, pet hair, microbes, pollen) is filtered out before the air enters your furnace.

If not there, the filter may be located inside, or on the air handler itself. You are looking for tall thin slot which hopefully has a filter in it. Finding Furnace Filter Size: Even Without A Filter If there is a filter in the slot that looks to fit well, mark down the measurement listed in bold type along the leading edge of the filter. Your filter should fit the opening closely in all three dimensions (length, height and thickness) while still being able to slide it in and out. If you have to jam the thing in or rip it apart removing it, you probably should remeasure the size. If there is no filter in the slot, it is a good thing you went to look at it! Running without one recirculates dirty air through your house and can mess up your blower among other things. Shop for a filter marked with dimensions as close as possible to the dimensions of the slot. The filter you want will actually be a little smaller than the slot, about 1/4 inch in each dimension, but most furnace filters are marked with rounded off numbers (nominal measurement instead of actual measurement).

In other words, if you are looking for a filter that should actually measure 15½” x 24¾” x ¾”, you would look for a filter marked 16″ x 25″ x 1″. By the way, when measuring your furnace filter, height and width are interchangeable: 16″ x 25″ x 1″ is the same as 25″ x 16″ x 1″. Think of it this way, tipping the filter on its side doesn’t effect how well it works. However, it is important to pay attention to which way the filter is facing. There is an arrow printed on filters that should point toward your furnace. The arrow indicates the intended direction of air flow through the filter. Nothing will explode if you do it wrong but your filter will work better and more efficiently if you install it facing the proper way. Filters are easy to swap with a short trip to the hardware store. However, it is always advisable to have an HVAC expert from Around Town do routine inspection on your system to make sure it stays safe and in good repair. Schedule a visit today!

24/7 Help from Around TownHow To Buy Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers Use the best humidifiers, whether tabletop, tower or whole-house models to regulate humidity Humidifiers and dehumidifiers help you maintain the optimal humidity in your home to protect your home and health. A humidifier adds moisture to the air to boost humidity back to comfortable levels, while a dehumidifier extracts moisture from the air to reduce the humidity level. This guide explains the factors to consider so you can be confident you’re selecting the right humidifier or dehumidifier for your needs. Tip: For most people, a relative humidity level between 40 percent to 50 percent in the summer and 30 percent to 50 percent in the winter is ideal. Low humidity can make the room feel cooler while drying out your skin and may damage furniture, while high humidity may warm up the room and spur mold and mildew growth. Substantial condensation inside your windows is a good indication humidity levels in your house are too high.

To make the most of your humidifier, choose one based on the size of the room you’ll use it in. (less than 400 sq. ft.) Best for tabletop (aka “portable” or “compact”) humidifiers Plugs directly into wall Uses refillable water tank Medium rooms (400-1,000 sq. ft.) Ideal for tower humidifiers Water tank requires less refilling than tabletop units (more than 1,000 sq. ft.) Best for console or tower humidifier Use larger refillable water tank Not lightweight but can still be moved throughout home Also called in-duct or online humidifiers Introduces moisture directly into a forced air heating system Carries moist air to every room Cool mist, warm mist, vaporizers, ultrasonic and cool mist impeller humidifiers all boost the humidity with different methods. A fan blows dry air through a wick, which absorbs water from a refillable tank or the household water supply Cool water from the wick evaporates into the air, boosting the humidity level;

wick filters impurities out of the water Common design for tabletop, console and whole-house units Must refill water tank 1-2 times a day and replace wick every 2 months Relatively low power demands Works like a tea kettle: heating element boils water from a refillable tank or household water supply, generating steam that humidifies surrounding air Removes impurities from the water, producing clean saturated air Steam helps keep rooms warm Water tank must be filled periodically, but there’s no wick to replace May be necessary to clean unit regularly, as impurities from water can build up in the tankTip: Vaporizers are small, low-output warm mist humidifiers. They have a built-in water reservoir, rather than a removable tank. A metal diaphragm vibrates at ultrasonic frequencies to break up water into a cloud of tiny droplets Does not filter water, but demineralization cartridges can be added, as can heating options Used in many tabletop models

Very quiet with relatively low power demands Tank must be refilled regularly, but there is no filter to replace A spinning disc generates a fine mist of cool water Does not filter water, so distilled water is recommendeddoesn’t use much power No need to be refilled, and no filters to replace; Like humidifiers, choose your dehumidifier based on the size of the room. Work the same basic way as a window air conditioning unit: Fan blows moist air from the room across cold refrigerant-filled coils, which cool the air, causing the moisture to condense into water droplets. The water collects in a bucket, which needs to be emptied periodically. Many models have a hose attachment that lets you drain the water directly into a sink or basement drain Includes a separate heating coil that warms the air again before expelling it into the room Work the same basic way as portable models, but with extra power necessary to dehumidify several rooms at once

Empty collected water into a drain leading outside the house rather than a refillable bucket Good for use in spaces up to 3,000 square feet Some models connect to ductwork in a forced air heating system; others are self-contained systems Deciphering Humidifier & Dehumidifier Lingo Read on to understand your new unit’s tank capacity, run time and features. Output per day: standard measure of a humidifier’s power, which determines how many rooms it can humidify. Some
models may include a square footage or room number recommendation on the label. 0.5-1.5 gallons per day Humidifying single, small room 2-4 gallons per day 6-8 gallons per day 9+ gallons per day Humidifying entire floor in a large house or all rooms in a small to medium size house (2,500- 3,000 square feet) Humidifying all rooms in a medium size house (3,000-4,000 square feet) • Tank capacity: amount of water the refillable tank can hold, listed in gallons.

Typically, you need to?refill larger tanks less frequently than smaller tanks. • Run time: how long the humidifier can run on a full tank of water. Capacity: standard rating for dehumidifier power, which indicates the moisture level and room size the unit can handle. Small Capacity Portable Dehumidifier 25-35 pints per day Damp Conditions in small rooms Medium Capacity Portable Dehumidifier 40-50 pints per day Damp conditions in medium and large rooms Large Capacity Portable Dehumidifier 65-75 pints per day Wet or damp conditions in large rooms 90-140 pints per day Wet or damp conditions in a small-to-medium size house • Drain hose connection: a connection that allows you to bypass the bucket in a portable dehumidifier and empty water into a hose leading to a drain. • Automatic defrost: system saves energy by automatically shutting off the unit if frost forms on coils preventing proper operation. • Multi-speed fan: a type of fan that runs at slower speeds in less humid conditions, reducing noise and energy consumption.

• Built-in pump: system allows you to run the drain hose up to a window, sink or elevated drain. Adjustable humidistat: standard control system that automatically turns unit on and off to maintain a preset humidity level. Digital display: digitally displays current relative humidity levels and settings. Timer: programmable control that lets you set the humidifier to run at certain times of day. Automatic shutoff: shuts off the humidifier when the tank is empty. Medicine cup: feature on steam humidifiers that evaporates vapor medication. Filter sensor: system that alerts you when it’s time to replace the filter. Dishwasher-safe tank: a tank designed for easy cleaning in the dishwasher. Safety listing: a guarantee that an independent testing agency such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL mark), Intertek (ETL mark) or the CSA Group (CSA mark) has ensured the unit is safe for its rated use. ENERGY STAR ®: a label indicating that the product meets stringent energy-efficiency guidelines as outlined by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.