When your air conditioner is spotless and running right, it’s not normal to be smelling anything strange. Abnormal air conditioner noises and strange smells are a clue that something is up. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had service scheduled within the last year, they can be a clear sign you need pro air conditioning repair in Pacheco.
Here are six of the most frequent 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 smell, isn’t a good sign. You may also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are often a clue that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can break out as time passes.
4 Hints You Have a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the odd smell, here are four other hints that you have a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner runs.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your home cold or reaching your desired temperature.
- Higher electrical expenses.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak needs skilled repairs from a heating and cooling company like Clean Air HVAC. Your cooling technician will locate and fix the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how long it takes to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, there’s a high probability it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured due to its negative effects on the ozone layer. Due to this, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be best to consider air conditioning installation in this circumstance.
2. Air Conditioner Smells Like Gas
If your air conditioner smells like rotten eggs, there’s possibly 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 warn you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be deadly in large amounts.
How You Can Fix It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home promptly.
- Call your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who reach us about this problem usually report their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s on. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is usually caused by a grubby 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 typical in locations where you need heating at night and during the morning before transitioning to cooling later in the day.
How to Solve It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely get a new air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with Clean Air HVAC. 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 might be caused by several issues, like:
- A dirty filter
- Extra condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve It
Inspect 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 solve the problem, reach Clean Air HVAC at 925-233-6238.
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 several 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 immediately to prevent a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, shut it off and call us at 925-233-6238 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering 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 Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why we recommend having a pro like Clean Air HVAC check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Pros Can Take Care of Unpleasant Air Conditioner Smells Fast
You deserve to be cozy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your smelly air conditioner, give us a call at 925-233-6238. We’ll figure out the trouble quickly and resolve it at a competitive.