We miraculously managed to get a good deal that we could blow all our savings on to get this new HVAC unit installed about a year ago. In the last few days, it's suddenly started producing a sour smell, particularly in my room. Looking up the issue, all I see is people saying to call someone to get it cleaned because it's mold and/or bacteria build-up. I changed the filter, but the one that was there was barely dirty at all, so I don't think that was much of a fix.
I can't go into detail, but there's a lot going on right now and we can't afford much. We barely even have time to organize fixing something like this. But I don't want to take risks with our health.
Can I get some advice please? What would y'all do?
*also my god the youtube algorithm-fueled thumbnails that come up when searching for tutorials on what to do about this are truly horrendous, look at this shit, just straight up embarrassing
If you can get to the actual blower, there should be a metal tray with a pipe dripping into it (or just a pipe sticking off the side if the blower is part of the outside part of the HVAC system). Especially on hot, humid days with the air conditioning running, it should be dripping pretty consistently. If it gets clogged (dirt, bugs, etc) the condensed water has nowhere to go and rests in the part thats blowing air around. If you think this may be it, you can try to free it with an unwound coat hangar (depends on how its installed as to how feasible this actually is to do). You'll know pretty quick if the smell is coming from that.
Alright, I will check for this. Do you have any good references for what the "blower" might look like?
Fishlake's picture is good. The heat exchanger (tower fan thing) is on the outside, but some units have the blower (hamster wheel that pushes the air through your vents) outside too. More often just the heat exchanger is outside and "air handler" (box with the blower and the thermostat and the furnace) is inside the house in a basement, crawl space, or attic.
If the HVAC outside is a giant rectangle thats wider than it is tall, its also got the blower, but if the HVAC outside is taller than it is wide, the blower is inside the house somewhere.