When your air conditioner is clean and operating right, you shouldn’t be smelling anything odd. Abnormal air conditioner noises and odd smells are a hint that something is up. If your air conditioner is getting older or you haven’t had maintenance completed recently, they can be a sure sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Front Royal.
Here are six of the most frequent air conditioner smells and how you can fix 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 might also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are frequently a clue that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can wear out over time.
Four Clues You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the strange smell, here are four other signs that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is on.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your residence cold or achieving your set temperature.
- High utility expenses.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak requires experienced repairs from a heating and cooling company like Dave's Diversified Services. Your cooling pro will find and fix the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it takes to repair.
If your air conditioner was installed prior to 2010, there’s a high probability it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made because of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. Due to this, repairs can be very expensive so it may be smartest to do 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 high 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 fatal in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Repair It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home promptly.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who call us to report this issue frequently report their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s on. Also known as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is often created by a grubby evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Condensation can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most common in areas where you use heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling later in the day.
How to Fix It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently change your air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with Dave's Diversified Services. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, as standing water can also lead to noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it can be prompted by several situations, like:
- A filthy 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 put in a new one within the last three months and can’t see light through it, you should replace it. If that doesn’t resolve the smell, reach Dave's Diversified Services at 540-636-3396.
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 requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical issues should be inspected quickly to prevent a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, shut it off and call us at 540-636-3396 immediately.
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 makes.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why you should have a professional like Dave's Diversified Services look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Pros Can Eliminate Odd Air Conditioner Smells Quickly
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 noxious air conditioner, contact us at 540-636-3396. We’ll diagnose the problem quickly and fix it at a competitive.