When your air conditioner is clean and running correctly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything strange. Abnormal air conditioner noises and weird smells are a sign that something is out of whack. If your air conditioner is getting older or you haven’t had service completed within the last year, 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 resolve them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, especially a chemical smell, it isn’t a good sign. You might also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are often a hint that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can crack over time.
Four Hints You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the odd smell, here are four other hints 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 residence comfortable or having your desired temperature.
- Increasing electrical expenses.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak requires skilled support from a heating and cooling company like Lanz Furnace and Fireplace. Your cooling pro will pinpoint and repair the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it needs to repair.
If your air conditioner was installed prior to 2010, it’s likely it uses R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being produced as a result of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be smartest 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 likelihood you have a natural gas leak in your house. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be fatal in big amounts.
How You Can Repair It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home promptly.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who call us to report this problem often 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 usually caused by a grubby evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Condensation 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 transitioning to cooling later in the day.
How to Fix It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely replace your air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with Lanz Furnace and Fireplace. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, because stagnant water can also produce noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are experiencing air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it can be prompted by several problems, including:
- A dirty filter
- Excess condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Fix It
Inspect your filter first. If you haven’t put in a new one within the last three months and can’t see light through it, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t fix 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 include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical issues should be inspected immediately to avoid a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, shut it off and call us at 608-291-3606 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there might be mold flourishing within your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold makes.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why it’s important to have a professional like Lanz Furnace and Fireplace look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Professionals Can Eliminate Unpleasant Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be comfy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your stinky air conditioner, contact us at 608-291-3606. We’ll diagnose the issue quickly and fix it at a fair price.
