When your air conditioner is clean and operating properly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything odd. Out of the ordinary air conditioner noises and weird smells are a sign that something is off. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had maintenance scheduled within the last year, they can be a sure sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Ellsworth.
Here are six of the most common air conditioner smells and how you can repair them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, especially a chemical odor, it isn’t a good sign. You might also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are frequently a hint that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can crack as time goes on.
Four clues you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
Aside from the strange smell, here are four other hints that you have a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is cooling.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your home cool or reaching your set temperature.
- Increasing electrical bills.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak requires skilled support from a heating and cooling company like Walter's-Eaton's Electric, Plumbing, Heating & AC. Your cooling technician will pinpoint and fix the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages compiled by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it needs to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed prior to 2010, there’s a high probability it has R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made as a result of its negative effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be very expensive so it may be wisest to schedule 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 high chance you have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to warn you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be deadly in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Solve It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Shutting off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home as soon as possible.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who contact us to report this problem 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 usually caused by a dirty evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Condensation can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most typical in areas where you use heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling later on.
How to Solve It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely get a new air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with Walter's-Eaton's Electric, Plumbing, Heating & AC. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, as excess water can also create nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are experiencing air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it might be caused by several problems, including:
- A filthy filter
- Too much condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Solve 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 fix the issue, call Walter's-Eaton's Electric, Plumbing, Heating & AC at 715-318-6728.
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 involve:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical problems should be checked immediately to stop a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, shut it off and call us at 715-318-6728 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there could be mold growing inside your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold creates.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why we recommend having a specialist like Walter's-Eaton's Electric, Plumbing, Heating & AC check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Pros Can Eliminate Weird Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly.
You deserve to be cozy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your smelly air conditioner, contact us at 715-318-6728. We’ll determine the problem quickly and take care of it at a reasonable.
