When your air conditioner is fresh and working correctly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything strange. Unusual air conditioner noises and weird smells are a sign that something is up. If your air conditioner is getting older or you haven’t had service scheduled within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need pro air conditioning repair in Mechanicsburg.
Here are six of the most frequent 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, especially a chemical odor, it isn’t a positive sign. You may also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are frequently a hint that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can crack as time passes.
Four Hints You Are Dealing with a Refrigerant Leak
Aside from 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.
- Difficulty keeping your residence cold or having your desired temperature.
- Higher utility costs.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak calls for experienced repairs from a heating and cooling company like H & H Service Company. Your cooling specialist will pinpoint and repair the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, according to nationwide averages compiled by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how long it needs to solve.
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 produced because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. As a result, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be smartest 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, since the gas can be toxic in large amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home promptly.
- Calling your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who call us about this situation frequently report their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also referred to as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is frequently linked to 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 common in climates where you use heating at night and during the morning before transitioning to cooling later on.
How to Repair It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently replace your air filter and schedule annual air conditioning maintenance with H & H Service Company. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, because standing water can also lead to nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it could be prompted by several problems, such as:
- A dirty filter
- Excess condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Fix 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, call H & H Service Company at 717-220-4502.
5. Air Conditioner Smells Like Burning Plastic
If you’re dealing with 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 malfunctions.
Electrical issues should be checked right away to avoid a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, shut it off and reach us at 717-220-4502 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there may be mold present inside your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold makes.
How to Fix It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why we recommend having a pro like H & H Service Company look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Professionals Can Take Care of Strange Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be comfy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your smelly air conditioner, give us a call at 717-220-4502. We’ll determine the problem quickly and take care of it at a competitive.
