When your air conditioner is spotless and working correctly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything strange. Peculiar air conditioner noises and strange smells are a hint that something is out of whack. If your air conditioner is getting older or you haven’t had a tune-up completed recently, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Columbia.
Here are six of the most common 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, specifically a chemical odor, it isn’t a good sign. You may also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical smells are often a sign 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 passes.
Four Hints You Have a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the weird smell, here are four other hints 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.
- It’s hard keeping your residence cool or reaching your programmed temperature.
- Increasing electrical expenses.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak requires skilled repairs from a heating and cooling company like Watts Electric & AC. Your cooling specialist will locate and repair the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it takes to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed earlier than 2010, there’s a high probability it uses R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. Because of this, repairs can be very 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 likely 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 alert you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be toxic in large amounts.
How You Can Fix It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Shutting off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside promptly.
- Getting in touch with your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who contact us to report this issue frequently mention their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also known as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is frequently created by a dirty evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Condensation can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most often seen in locations where you turn on heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later in the day.
How to Solve It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently get a new air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with Watts Electric & AC. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, as standing water can also produce nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it can be caused by several situations, including:
- A dirty 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 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 resolve the issue, call Watts Electric & AC at 601-736-7362.
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 number of things wrong. These involve:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that should have lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical malfunctions should be checked immediately to avoid a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, turn it off and reach us at 601-736-7362 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there could be mold flourishing in 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 specialist like Watts Electric & AC check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Specialists Can Eliminate Unpleasant Air Conditioner Smells Fast
You deserve to be comfy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your smelly air conditioner, contact us at 601-736-7362. We’ll diagnose the problem quickly and resolve it at a competitive.