When your air conditioner is spotless and operating correctly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything odd. Out of the ordinary air conditioner noises and weird smells are a clue that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had service scheduled lately, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Lexington.
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, especially a chemical smell, it isn’t a great sign. You could also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are frequently a clue that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can break out as time goes on.
Four Hints You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the odd smell, here are four other signs that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is on.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your residence comfortable or reaching your programmed temperature.
- High utility expenses.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak requires professional assistance from a heating and cooling company like James Heating & A/C, Inc. Your cooling professional will pinpoint and repair the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it takes to repair.
If your air conditioner was installed prior to 2010, it’s likely it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured due to its negative effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be significantly 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 probably nothing wrong with it. But there’s a significant probability you have a natural gas leak in your residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to alert you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be deadly in large amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home right away.
- Calling your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who contact us about this situation usually share their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is frequently linked to a filthy 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 locations where you need heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later on.
How to Repair It
The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to routinely get a new air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with James Heating & A/C, Inc. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, since excess water can also produce noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it could be caused by several problems, like:
- A clogged filter
- Excess condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Repair It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t replaced it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, we recommend replacing it. If that doesn’t fix the problem, reach James Heating & A/C, Inc at 336-853-6070.
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 should have lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical issues should be inspected immediately to avoid a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, shut it off and reach us at 336-853-6070 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful 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 produces.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why you should have a professional like James Heating & A/C, Inc check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Specialists Can Eliminate Unpleasant 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 noxious air conditioner, reach us at 336-853-6070. We’ll determine the issue quickly and take care of it at a competitive.
