When your air conditioner is fresh and working properly, it’s not normal to be smelling anything odd. Out of the ordinary air conditioner noises and weird smells are a hint that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is getting older or you haven’t had maintenance done within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Smyrna.
Here are six of the most frequent air conditioner smells and how you can resolve them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, particularly a chemical odor, it isn’t a positive sign. You could also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are frequently a hint that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can break out as time passes.
Four Clues You Have a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the odd smell, here are four other hints that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is cooling.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your residence comfortable or achieving your programmed temperature.
- Increasing electrical expenses.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak requires skilled repairs from a heating and cooling company like Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC. Your cooling specialist will locate and fix the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it needs to repair.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, there’s a good chance it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured due to its adverse effects on the ozone layer. Due to this, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be smartest to do air conditioning installation in this instance.
2. Air Conditioner Smells Like Gas
If your air conditioner smells like rotten eggs, there’s probably nothing wrong with it. But there’s a significant probability you have a natural gas leak in your residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to alert you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be deadly in large amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home as soon as possible.
- Calling your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who call us about this issue frequently say their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also referred to as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is frequently caused by a dirty evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Moisture can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most typical in climates where you need heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later on.
How to Repair It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to regularly replace your air filter and schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, as standing water can also result in nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it might be the result of several situations, like:
- A dirty filter
- Too much condensation
- Blocked condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t put in a new one within the last three months and can’t see light through it, you should replace it. If that doesn’t solve the smell, call Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC at 302-653-0503.
5. Air Conditioner Smells Like Burning Plastic
If you’re noticing an air conditioner burning smell or that your air conditioner smells like fish, there could be several things wrong. These involve:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical issues should be checked immediately to avoid a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, turn it off and call us at 302-653-0503 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there may be mold flourishing within your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold creates.
How to Solve It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why you should have a specialist like Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Professionals Can Take Care of Unpleasant Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be cozy in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your stinky air conditioner, reach us at 302-653-0503. We’ll diagnose the issue quickly and resolve it at a fair price.