When your air conditioner is clean and operating properly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything weird. Peculiar air conditioner noises and weird 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 an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Greensburg.
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 odor, it isn’t a great sign. You might also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are regularly a clue that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can crack over time.
Four clues you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
Aside from the weird 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.
- It’s hard keeping your residence cool or reaching your set temperature.
- Increasing electrical bills.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak needs experienced support from a heating and cooling company like Wallpe Heating & Cooling. Your cooling technician will pinpoint and fix the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, according to nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it needs to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, there’s a good chance it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured due to its damaging effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be best 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 signal you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be deadly in big amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside as soon as possible.
- Contacting your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who contact us regarding this situation often mention their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s on. Also known as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is often created by a grubby 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 typical in locations where you need heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling during the afternoon.
How to Repair It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely replace your air filter and schedule annual air conditioning maintenance with Wallpe Heating & Cooling. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, because stagnant water can also result in unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it might be caused by several issues, including:
- A filthy filter
- Too much condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Solve It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t changed it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, we recommend replacing it. If that doesn’t fix the problem, reach Wallpe Heating & Cooling at 812-663-7252.
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 entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical malfunction.
Electrical malfunctions should be examined immediately to stop a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, switch it off and contact us at 812-663-7252 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong 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 makes.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why you should have a pro like Wallpe Heating & Cooling check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Professionals Can Eliminate Odd Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly.
You deserve to be comfortable in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are seeking relief from your stinky air conditioner, contact us at 812-663-7252. We’ll diagnose the problem quickly and take care of it at a fair price.