When your air conditioner is fresh and working correctly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything strange. Out of the ordinary air conditioner noises and odd smells are a sign that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had service scheduled lately, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Newark.
Here are six of the top air conditioner smells and how you can fix them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, specifically a chemical smell, it isn’t a positive sign. You may also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are often a sign that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can break out as time goes on.
Four clues you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
Besides the strange smell, here are four other hints that you have 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 cool or achieving your set temperature.
- Increasing utility bills.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak calls for skilled support from a heating and cooling company like Luikart Heating & Cooling. Your cooling professional will find and repair the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, according to nationwide averages compiled by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it requires to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, it’s likely it has R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being produced as a result of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. Because of this, repairs can be very expensive so it may be smartest to schedule air conditioning installation in this circumstance.
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 warn you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be toxic in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Fix It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Shutting off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home right away.
- Contacting your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who call us about this issue usually say 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 caused 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 often seen in climates where you use heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling during the afternoon.
How to Fix It
The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to regularly get a new air filter and schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with Luikart Heating & Cooling. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, because stagnant water can also result in noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it might be prompted by several problems, like:
- A filthy filter
- Too much condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Solve 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 solve the issue, call Luikart Heating & Cooling at 740-344-5497.
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 include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical malfunction.
Electrical malfunctions should be examined quickly to stop a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, turn it off and call us at 740-344-5497 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there may be mold growing 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 wellness. That’s why we recommend having a professional like Luikart Heating & Cooling look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Specialists Can Take Care of Strange Air Conditioner Smells Fast.
You deserve to be cozy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your stinky air conditioner, give us a call at 740-344-5497. We’ll determine the issue quickly and resolve it at a fair price.