When your air conditioner is fresh and running correctly, it’s not normal to be smelling anything odd. Unexpected air conditioner noises and strange smells are a hint that something is out of whack. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had service done recently, they can be an obvious sign you need pro air conditioning repair in Pacheco.
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 good sign. You could also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are regularly a clue that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can crack over time.
Four signs you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
Besides the strange smell, here are four other signs that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is cooling.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your home cool or having your set temperature.
- Higher utility expenses.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak needs skilled assistance from a heating and cooling company like Clean Air HVAC. Your cooling professional will locate and mend the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages compiled by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it requires to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, it’s likely it uses R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made due to its negative effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be wisest to do 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 good likelihood 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 deadly in large amounts.
How You Can Fix It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home right away.
- Getting in touch with your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who reach us regarding this situation usually say their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also known as 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 locations where you turn on heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling during the afternoon.
How to Repair It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently change your air filter and schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with Clean Air HVAC. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, as standing water can also create noxious 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 prompted by several issues, such as:
- A clogged filter
- Too much condensation
- Blocked condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Fix It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t changed it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t fix the problem, contact Clean Air HVAC at 925-233-6238.
5. Air Conditioner Smells Like Burning Plastic
If you’re experiencing 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 malfunction.
Electrical malfunctions should be examined quickly to avoid a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, switch it off and reach us at 925-233-6238 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there might be mold spreading inside 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 well-being. That’s why we recommend having a specialist like Clean Air HVAC examine your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Professionals Can Take Care of Strange Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly.
You deserve to be comfy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your stinky air conditioner, contact us at 925-233-6238. We’ll determine the trouble quickly and resolve it at a competitive.
