When your air conditioner is clean and operating properly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything weird. Unexpected air conditioner noises and weird smells are a clue that something is off. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had maintenance completed recently, they can be an obvious sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Covington.
Here are six of the top 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, particularly a chemical odor, it isn’t a positive sign. You might also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical smells are often a clue that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can break out as time goes on.
Four Hints You Are Dealing with a Refrigerant Leak
Aside from the weird smell, here are four other clues that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is cooling.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your house cool or having your desired temperature.
- High utility expenses.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak requires professional repairs from a heating and cooling company like Covington Air Systems. Your cooling professional will pinpoint and mend the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it needs to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed prior to 2010, there’s a good chance it uses R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being produced because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. Due to this, repairs can be very expensive so it may be smartest to consider 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 good probability you have a natural gas leak in your house. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be toxic in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Repair It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home promptly.
- Getting in touch with your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who reach us about this issue usually mention 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. Moisture can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most typical in areas where you use heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later on.
How to Solve It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to regularly change your air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with Covington Air Systems. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, as excess water can also produce unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it could be caused by several situations, such as:
- A clogged filter
- Excess condensation
- Clogged 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 smell, call Covington Air Systems at (770) 462-5319.
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 problem.
Electrical issues should be checked quickly to avoid a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, turn it off and contact us at (770) 462-5319 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there could be mold growing within your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold makes.
How to Fix It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why it’s important to have a professional like Covington Air Systems check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Specialists Can Take Care of 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 seeking relief from your noxious air conditioner, contact us at (770) 462-5319. We’ll figure out the problem quickly and take care of it at a reasonable.