When your air conditioner is fresh and working correctly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything weird. 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 service scheduled within the last year, they can be a sure sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Marshfield.
Here are six of the most common 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, specifically a chemical odor, it isn’t a good sign. You may also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are typically a sign that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can break out over time.
Four Signs You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the weird smell, here are four other hints that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is operating.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your house cool or having your set temperature.
- High electrical expenses.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak needs experienced assistance from a heating and cooling company like House of Heating Incorporated. Your cooling specialist will pinpoint and repair the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it takes to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed earlier than 2010, there’s a high probability it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made as a result of its negative effects on the ozone layer. Consequently, 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 possibly nothing wrong with it. But there’s a good probability you have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be toxic in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Fix It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home as soon as possible.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who call us to report this problem usually share their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is usually linked to a filthy evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Excess water can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most often seen in climates where you use heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling during the afternoon.
How to Repair It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely get a new air filter and schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with House of Heating Incorporated. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, because standing water can also result in nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it might be prompted by several situations, like:
- A clogged filter
- Too much condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve It
Examine 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 solve the problem, contact House of Heating Incorporated at 715-384-3163.
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 a couple of things wrong. These involve:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical issue.
Electrical issues should be checked quickly to avoid a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, turn it off and contact us at 715-384-3163 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there may be mold spreading within your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold produces.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why it’s important to have a specialist like House of Heating Incorporated check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Pros Can Take Care of Weird Air Conditioner Smells Quickly
You deserve to be comfortable in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your stinky air conditioner, contact us at 715-384-3163. We’ll figure out the problem quickly and take care of it at a reasonable.