When your air conditioner is spotless and working properly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything strange. Unusual air conditioner noises and odd smells are a hint that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had service scheduled within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Plover.
Here are six of the most common air conditioner smells and how you can resolve them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, particularly a chemical scent, it isn’t a positive sign. You may also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are often a clue that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can break out as time passes.
Four Hints You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
Aside from the strange smell, here are four other signs 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.
- It’s hard keeping your house cold or achieving your set temperature.
- Higher utility expenses.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak needs skilled assistance from a heating and cooling company like Point Heating & Cooling. Your cooling technician will locate and repair the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, per 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 takes to repair.
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 manufactured because of its damaging 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 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 likelihood you have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to alert you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be deadly in large amounts.
How You Can Fix It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home as soon as possible.
- Getting in touch with your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who reach us regarding this problem usually say their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is frequently caused by 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 climates where you turn on heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling during the afternoon.
How to Solve It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to regularly change your air filter and schedule annual air conditioning maintenance with Point Heating & Cooling. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, since stagnant water can also produce nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are experiencing air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it can be caused by several situations, like:
- A dirty filter
- Too much condensation
- Blocked condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Repair It
Check 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 fix the problem, reach Point Heating & Cooling at 715-504-0533.
5. Air Conditioner Smells Like Burning Plastic
If you’re experiencing 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 requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical issues should be checked quickly to stop a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, turn it off and reach us at 715-504-0533 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there could be mold growing in your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold produces.
How to Fix It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why you should have a specialist like Point Heating & Cooling examine your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Specialists Can Eliminate Strange Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be cozy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your noxious air conditioner, contact us at 715-504-0533. We’ll determine the issue quickly and fix it at a fair price.