When your air conditioner is spotless and running right, you shouldn’t be smelling anything weird. Peculiar air conditioner noises and weird smells are a sign that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had maintenance done within the last year, they can be a sure sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Mount Hope.
Here are six of the top 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, especially a chemical scent, it isn’t a great sign. You could also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are regularly a sign that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can break out as time goes on.
Four Signs You Have a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the odd smell, here are four other signs that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner runs.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your residence cold or achieving your set temperature.
- High electrical expenses.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak requires professional assistance from a heating and cooling company like Appalachian Heating. Your cooling pro will locate and mend the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, according to nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it requires to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it’s likely it has R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured because of its adverse effects on the ozone layer. Due to this, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be wisest 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 likelihood you have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be fatal in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Solve It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside as soon as possible.
- Getting in touch with your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who reach us regarding this situation often mention their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also known as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is often created 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 areas where you need heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling during the afternoon.
How to Solve It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely get a new air filter and schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with Appalachian Heating. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, because stagnant water can also produce noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it can be caused by several issues, like:
- A clogged filter
- Extra condensation
- Blocked condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Fix It
Inspect 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, call Appalachian Heating at 304-707-0600.
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 a couple of things wrong. These entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical issue.
Electrical malfunctions should be examined immediately to prevent a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, turn it off and reach us at 304-707-0600 without delay.
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 produces.
How to Solve It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why it’s important to have a professional like Appalachian Heating look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Pros Can Take Care of Strange Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be comfy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your smelly air conditioner, reach us at 304-707-0600. We’ll determine the trouble quickly and fix it at a competitive.