When your air conditioner is spotless and running properly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything weird. Out of the ordinary air conditioner noises and strange smells are a clue that something is out of whack. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had a tune-up completed recently, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Booneville.
Here are six of the top air conditioner smells and how you can solve them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, particularly a chemical odor, it isn’t a positive sign. You might also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are often a sign that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can break out as time passes.
Four Clues You Are Dealing with a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the weird smell, here are four other signs that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is on.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your house comfortable or achieving your programmed temperature.
- Increasing utility costs.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak calls for skilled assistance from a heating and cooling company like Booneville Heating & Cooling. Your cooling technician will pinpoint and repair the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak usually 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 takes to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, there’s a good chance it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be smartest to consider air conditioning installation in this situation.
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 chance 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 heavy concentrations.
How You Can Repair It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside as soon as possible.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who call us about this situation frequently mention their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s on. Also referred to as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is usually caused by a filthy 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 locations where you use heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later on.
How to Solve It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently get a new air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with Booneville Heating & Cooling. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, because stagnant water can also produce noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it might be the result of several situations, like:
- A clogged filter
- Too much condensation
- Plugged 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 resolve the issue, contact Booneville Heating & Cooling at 662-269-8716.
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 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 examined right away to avoid a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, shut it off and call us at 662-269-8716 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there might be mold flourishing inside your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold makes.
How to Solve It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why we recommend having a specialist like Booneville Heating & Cooling examine your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Professionals Can Take Care of Weird Air Conditioner Smells Quickly
You deserve to be comfy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your noxious air conditioner, give us a call at 662-269-8716. We’ll figure out the trouble quickly and take care of it at a fair price.
