When your air conditioner is spotless and running right, you shouldn’t 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 getting older or you haven’t had service completed within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Mobile.
Here are six of the most frequent 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, especially a chemical smell, it isn’t a good sign. You may also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are frequently a hint that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can break out as time goes on.
Four Signs You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the weird smell, here are four other signs that you have a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is on.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your house cold or achieving your set temperature.
- High electrical expenses.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak requires skilled assistance from a heating and cooling company like Farnell Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. Your cooling professional will locate and fix the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, according to nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how long it requires to repair.
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 made as a result of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be wisest 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 high chance you have a natural gas leak in your residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be deadly in large amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home right away.
- Calling your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who contact us to report this problem usually say their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is typically 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 typical in locations where you need heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling during the afternoon.
How to Solve It
The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to regularly get a new air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with Farnell Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, since stagnant water can also create noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it can be the result of several issues, such as:
- A clogged filter
- Excess condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Solve It
Inspect your filter first. If you haven’t replaced it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, you should replace it. If that doesn’t solve the issue, contact Farnell Heating & Air Conditioning Inc at 251-471-2674.
5. Air Conditioner Smells Like Burning Plastic
If you’re dealing with an air conditioner burning smell or that your air conditioner smells like fish, there could be a number of things wrong. These entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical malfunctions.
Electrical malfunctions should be checked quickly to prevent a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, switch it off and contact us at 251-471-2674 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there might be mold spreading in 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 pro like Farnell Heating & Air Conditioning Inc check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Specialists Can Take Care of Odd Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be cozy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your noxious air conditioner, give us a call at 251-471-2674. We’ll figure out the trouble quickly and fix it at a fair price.