When your air conditioner is spotless and working right, it’s not normal to be smelling anything weird. Peculiar air conditioner noises and odd smells are a sign that something is off. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had a tune-up completed lately, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in East Bernard.
Here are six of the most common air conditioner smells and how you can repair them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, specifically a chemical odor, isn’t a great sign. You could 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 needs this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can break out as time goes on.
4 Signs You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
Aside from the strange smell, here are four other hints that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is operating.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your home cool or having your set temperature.
- Higher utility costs.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak requires professional assistance from a heating and cooling company like E.B. Air, LLC. Your cooling professional will pinpoint and fix the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, per 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 repair.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, there’s a good chance it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured because of its adverse effects on the ozone layer. Consequently, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be best to schedule air conditioning installation in this instance.
2. Air Conditioner Smells Like Gas
If your air conditioner smells like rotten eggs, there’s probably 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 alert you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be deadly in big amounts.
How You Can Repair It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside right away.
- Getting in touch with your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who call us regarding this issue often say 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. Moisture can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most typical in locations where you need heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later in the day.
How to Solve It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently change your air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with E.B. Air, LLC. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, since stagnant water can also produce nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it can be caused by several situations, like:
- A clogged filter
- Excess condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Repair 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, you should replace it. If that doesn’t solve the smell, call E.B. Air, LLC at 979-335-4262.
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 entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical malfunctions.
Electrical problems should be checked quickly to stop a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, shut it off and contact us at 979-335-4262 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there may be mold spreading in 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 it’s important to have a pro like E.B. Air, LLC 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 need relief from your stinky air conditioner, reach us at 979-335-4262. We’ll figure out the problem quickly and fix it at a reasonable.