When your air conditioner is fresh and operating properly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything odd. Unusual air conditioner noises and weird smells are a hint that something is up. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had maintenance done recently, they can be an obvious sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Bloomfield.
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, particularly a chemical smell, isn’t a great sign. You might also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are regularly a sign that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can wear out over time.
4 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 is operating.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your home comfortable or having your programmed temperature.
- High energy costs.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak calls for experienced repairs from a heating and cooling company like Stanford Heating & Cooling. Your cooling specialist will pinpoint and repair the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages assembled 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, it’s likely it uses R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be very expensive so it may be smartest to do air conditioning installation in this circumstance.
2. Air Conditioner Smells Like Gas
If your air conditioner smells like rotten eggs, there’s likely nothing wrong with it. But there’s a good chance you have a natural gas leak in your house. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to alert you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be toxic in large amounts.
How You Can Fix It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home right away.
- Getting in touch with your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who contact us to report this situation frequently share their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s on. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is typically 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 locations where you turn on heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling during the afternoon.
How to Solve It
The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to regularly replace your air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with Stanford Heating & Cooling. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, because stagnant water can also lead to unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it might be prompted by several situations, such as:
- A filthy filter
- Excess condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Fix It
Examine your filter first. If you haven’t changed it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t resolve the smell, call Stanford Heating & Cooling at 812-825-8695.
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 couple of things wrong. These include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical issues should be checked quickly to avoid a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, turn it off and contact us at 812-825-8695 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there may be mold present within your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold makes.
How to Fix It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why it’s important to have a specialist like Stanford Heating & Cooling check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Professionals Can Eliminate 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 are seeking relief from your stinky air conditioner, give us a call at 812-825-8695. We’ll diagnose the problem quickly and fix it at a competitive.