When your air conditioner is clean and operating right, it’s not normal to be smelling anything weird. Unexpected air conditioner noises and weird smells are a clue that something is up. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had maintenance completed recently, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Greensburg.
Here are six of the most frequent 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, specifically a chemical scent, 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 smells are often a clue that your air conditioner has 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
In addition to the weird smell, here are four other hints that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner runs.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your residence comfortable or achieving your desired temperature.
- High electrical expenses.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak needs experienced support from a heating and cooling company like Wallpe Heating & Cooling. Your cooling professional will locate and fix the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages compiled by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how long it needs to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, there’s a good chance it has R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured because of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. As a result, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be best 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 significant probability you have a natural gas leak in your residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be deadly in large amounts.
How You Can Repair It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home promptly.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who call us regarding this situation frequently 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 typical in areas where you turn on heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling later on.
How to Repair It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely change your air filter and schedule annual air conditioning maintenance with Wallpe Heating & Cooling. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, since standing 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 could be caused by several issues, like:
- A dirty filter
- Extra condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Fix It
Examine 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 smell, contact Wallpe Heating & Cooling at 812-663-7252.
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 entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that should have lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical malfunctions.
Electrical problems should be inspected immediately to stop a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, switch it off and contact us at 812-663-7252 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there could be mold spreading inside 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 health. That’s why you should have a pro like Wallpe Heating & Cooling look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Pros Can Take Care of Odd Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be cozy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your smelly air conditioner, contact us at 812-663-7252. We’ll determine the problem quickly and take care of it at a competitive.