When your air conditioner is clean and working correctly, it’s not normal to be smelling anything weird. Peculiar air conditioner noises and odd smells are a clue that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is getting older or you haven’t had service done lately, they can be a sure sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Laurel.
Here are six of the top 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 scent, isn’t a positive sign. You may also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are regularly a sign that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can crack over time.
4 Clues You Have a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the strange smell, here are four other signs that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is cooling.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your house cool or having your set temperature.
- Higher energy expenses.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak needs skilled repairs from a heating and cooling company like H&C Heating and Cooling. Your cooling specialist will locate and mend the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages compiled by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how long it takes to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, there’s a good chance it has R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured as a result of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be best to consider air conditioning installation in this instance.
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 residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be fatal in big amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside promptly.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who call us about this situation frequently report 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 frequently linked to a grubby evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Moisture can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most typical in areas where you need heating at night and during the morning before transitioning to cooling later in the day.
How to Fix It
The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to regularly replace your air filter and schedule annual air conditioning maintenance with H&C Heating and Cooling. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, because standing water can also lead to unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it could be prompted by several problems, including:
- A dirty filter
- Extra condensation
- Blocked condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve 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, we recommend replacing it. If that doesn’t solve the problem, contact H&C Heating and Cooling at 301-960-3247.
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 a number of things wrong. These entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical issue.
Electrical problems should be inspected immediately to stop a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, switch it off and reach us at 301-960-3247 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there might be mold growing within your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold creates.
How to Solve It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why it’s important to have a pro like H&C Heating and Cooling check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Pros Can Take Care of Weird 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 looking for relief from your stinky air conditioner, reach us at 301-960-3247. We’ll determine the problem quickly and fix it at a fair price.