Have you ever noticed that every time you leave your house for a few hours during the summer months and upon return there is a musty, mildew smell? Chances are that you have looked for the culprit or the source of this smell but were unable to determine exactly where it was coming from: It is most likely your air conditioner, and placing a call for AC repair is your best bet for ridding your home of the unpleasant odor.

Why would you call in a professional who specializes in heating and cooling services to rid your house of mildew? If you choose to ignore the mildew smell, and it goes unchecked, you may eventually become noseblind and not even notice it anymore, but rest assured, your visitors will.

This is not what you want to happen to you, and here’s why: The mildew smell is not only unpleasant, it is unhealthy. It permeates itself into everything from carpeting, drapes, clothing, stored items, ductwork, and even makes your pets smell musty. If you have allergies or respiratory problems, this can only serve to exacerbate your health condition.

Instead of calling an AC service, some people may attempt to cover this odor by using aerosol sprays, or engage in frequent carpet cleaning, and plug-in air fresheners. This is a temporary fix, and is only going to mask the odor; it can also cause further allergic reaction to the different chemicals that are being disbursed into the air. When you notice a strong mildew smell, it’s time to call in an HVAC contractor, and when it comes to home AC repair, a licensed and insured AC repair contractor will know exactly what to do.

The service technician is an expert in cooling repair, and he will check for backed up or standing water in the unit’s drip pan or for mold on the condensate drain and clean the evaporator coils. He can also check and clean your outside condenser coils by using an Eco-friendly cleaning product and this will make the entire house fresher, instantly.

Cleaning the inside evaporator coils should be left to a professional AC contractor as there is always danger of electric shock when dealing with large equipment. Outside coils can be cleaned by gently hosing them off with an organic cleaning product; however, the coils are more fragile than they look, and a reputable AC service knows how to clean the coils without causing damage to them. Damaged coils can be very expensive to replace.

Cleaning both sets of coils will not only get rid of the mildew, it will make your house smell fresher and the air will be cleaner and safer to breathe. “Something as simple as keeping your HVAC system clean can add to the life and efficiency of your system and will up performance by 10 to 40 percent,” says Phil Montgomery of Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning Services.

Technicians that specialize in cooling services have a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of interior air quality and comfort. Schedule your routine heating and cooling services today and you will breathe easier, literally. If your unit is over 15 years old, it might be a good time to ask the technician if he has an air conditioning sale going on. Today’s units are more energy efficient and some even offer money-saving rebates.

Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning has been proudly serving the Atlanta area for 40 years from Decatur, Avondale, Tucker, Smyrna, Marietta, Woodstock and beyond.