When your air conditioner is fresh and working right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything odd. Peculiar air conditioner noises and strange smells are a sign that something is up. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had maintenance done lately, they can be an obvious sign you need pro air conditioning repair in Monroe.
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 odor, it isn’t a great sign. You may also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are typically a hint that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can crack as time passes.
Four hints you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
In addition to the strange smell, here are four other clues that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is on.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your home cold or achieving your programmed temperature.
- High utility expenses.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak needs professional assistance from a heating and cooling company like Lanz Furnace and Fireplace. Your cooling pro will locate and repair the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it takes to repair.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, there’s a high probability it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. Because of this, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be smartest to schedule air conditioning installation in this situation.
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 significant likelihood you have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to warn you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be toxic in big amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home as soon as possible.
- Getting in touch with your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who call us about this issue usually mention their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is often linked to a grubby evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Moisture can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most often seen in areas where you need heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling during the afternoon.
How to Repair It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently replace your air filter and schedule annual air conditioning maintenance with Lanz Furnace and Fireplace. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, because stagnant water can also produce unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are experiencing air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it can be prompted by several situations, such as:
- A clogged filter
- Excess condensation
- Blocked condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve It
Inspect your filter first. If you haven’t replaced it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t solve the issue, contact Lanz Furnace and Fireplace at 608-291-3606.
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 inspected immediately to avoid a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, turn it off and call us at 608-291-3606 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there may be mold flourishing in 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 we recommend having a professional like Lanz Furnace and Fireplace look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Specialists Can Eliminate Unpleasant Air Conditioner Smells Fast.
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, contact us at 608-291-3606. We’ll figure out the issue quickly and resolve it at a competitive.
