Does the car air conditioning smell?
Does your air conditioner smell bad and musty? That could be the reason
The year 2021 was one of the warmest ever recorded, and new high temperatures were measured in many regions. In light of such heat records, it is fortunate for many drivers that air conditioning in cars has become standard equipment. Especially on hot days, no driver wants to do without turning on the air conditioning. Unfortunately, however, it sometimes happens that when the air conditioning is started, instead of pleasant coolness, foul smells blow out of the vents.
Causes of odor from the air conditioning: condensation and heat
The reason the air conditioning smells is usually as follows: To cool the temperature inside the vehicle, moisture is removed from the air: When the air conditioning is in operation, it therefore produces condensate, which accumulates in the evaporator and the air conditioning ducts. The combination of moisture and heat creates an ideal breeding ground for mold, fungi, and bacteria.
This unpleasant microclimate is primarily concentrated around the evaporator. Air that is pushed over this area by the blower motor absorbs the musty odors and carries them directly into the vehicle interior through the ventilation slots. Not only does this aerosol mixture smell unpleasant, it also poses a health risk as it can lead to allergies and infections.
Just before the end of the trip: turn off the air conditioning, turn on the ventilation
To at least avoid condensed humidity as a cause for a smelly air conditioner, drivers can follow this simple rule: About five minutes before turning off the engine, the air conditioning should be turned off, but the ventilation should remain on.
The airflow then blows the remaining moisture out of the air conditioning system – and the breeding ground for musty odors cannot even begin to form.
Musty smells from food, pets, or cigarettes
Other possible sources of unpleasant odors from the air conditioning can be food, pets, or cigarettes. As the air inside the vehicle is constantly recirculated, particles that cause the original odors often get trapped in the pollen filter and can accumulate over time. Especially cigarette smoke is particularly intense and difficult to remove. In severe cases, cigarette particles can clog the pollen filter so much that they significantly restrict the airflow, which strains other components in the air conditioning system and shortens their lifespan. Just as the engine's air filter must be replaced regularly, so must the cabin filter of a car.
The air conditioning smells - even with an activated carbon filter?
But isn't there a filter that removes bad odors? Yes, the activated carbon filter. It additionally filters out odors and harmful gases like benzene or ozone from the ambient air. The open-pored surface of the activated carbon acts like a sponge by absorbing odor and gas molecules from the air. However, this capacity is eventually exhausted. For optimal performance, the combination filter should be replaced regularly.