When your air conditioner is fresh and running correctly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything strange. Out of the ordinary air conditioner noises and strange smells are a hint that something is up. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had a tune-up completed lately, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Genoa.
Here are six of the most frequent air conditioner smells and how you can fix 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 good sign. You may also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are typically a sign that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can wear out as time goes on.
Four clues you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
Aside from the odd smell, here are four other clues that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner runs.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your home cold or achieving your desired temperature.
- Increasing utility costs.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak requires skilled support from a heating and cooling company like Assured Appliance & Heating & Air. Your cooling technician will pinpoint and fix the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages compiled by HomeAdvisor. Your total 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 made as a result of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. Consequently, repairs can be very expensive so it may be best to consider air conditioning installation in this circumstance.
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 good likelihood you have a natural gas leak in your residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to warn you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be deadly in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Solve It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home as soon as possible.
- Calling your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who call us to report this issue often report their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is often linked to a filthy evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Condensation can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most common in areas where you turn on heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling later in the day.
How to Solve It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to regularly replace your air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with Assured Appliance & Heating & Air. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, since standing water can also produce nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it might be the result of several situations, such as:
- A filthy filter
- Extra condensation
- Blocked condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Fix It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t replaced it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, you should replace it. If that doesn’t fix the issue, contact Assured Appliance & Heating & Air at 847-306-8990.
5. Air Conditioner Smells Like Burning Plastic
If you’re dealing with an air conditioner burning smell or that your air conditioner smells like fish, there could be a number of things wrong. These include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that should have lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical issues should be checked immediately to avoid a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, switch it off and call us at 847-306-8990 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there might be mold spreading within your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold produces.
How to Solve It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why we recommend having a pro like Assured Appliance & Heating & Air look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Pros Can Take Care of Weird Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly.
You deserve to be comfortable in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your smelly air conditioner, give us a call at 847-306-8990. We’ll figure out the problem quickly and fix it at a fair price.
