When your air conditioner is clean and working properly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything strange. Peculiar air conditioner noises and odd smells are a sign that something is up. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had maintenance done recently, they can be a sure sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Hendersonville.
Here are six of the top 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, particularly a chemical odor, it isn’t a good sign. You could also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical smells are typically a clue that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can break out as time goes on.
Four Clues You Have a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the weird smell, here are four other clues that you have a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is operating.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your residence cool or achieving your set temperature.
- Increasing utility bills.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak calls for professional assistance from a heating and cooling company like Superior Comfort Systems. Your cooling specialist will find and fix the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Fixing 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 needs to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed earlier than 2010, it’s likely it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured due to its adverse effects on the ozone layer. Due to this, repairs can be very expensive so it may be wisest 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 chance you have a natural gas leak in your house. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to warn you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be fatal in large 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 as soon as possible.
- Getting in touch with your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who reach us about this issue often mention their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is often 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 areas where you use heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later on.
How to Repair It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently change your air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with Superior Comfort Systems. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, because standing water can also result in unpleasant 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 the result of several issues, like:
- A dirty filter
- Too much condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Fix 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, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t resolve the smell, contact Superior Comfort Systems at 828-202-7025.
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 needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical issue.
Electrical issues should be examined immediately to avoid a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, turn it off and contact us at 828-202-7025 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there could be mold present in your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold creates.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why you should have a specialist like Superior Comfort Systems examine your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Professionals Can Take Care of Weird Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be comfy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are seeking relief from your smelly air conditioner, contact us at 828-202-7025. We’ll determine the problem quickly and resolve it at a reasonable.
