When your air conditioner is fresh and operating properly, it’s not normal to be smelling anything odd. Unusual air conditioner noises and odd smells are a clue that something is off. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had a tune-up completed within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Phoenix.
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, particularly a chemical smell, it isn’t a positive sign. You may also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are typically a clue that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can break out over time.
Four hints you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
In addition to the strange smell, here are four other hints that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is operating.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your house cold or achieving your programmed temperature.
- Increasing energy bills.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak requires skilled support from a heating and cooling company like Dial One Mears Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. Your cooling specialist will find and fix the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it needs to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, there’s a good chance it uses R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured as a result of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. As a result, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be wisest to consider air conditioning installation in this situation.
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 high chance you have a natural gas leak in your house. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to alert you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be fatal in big amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home as soon as possible.
- Contacting your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who reach us to report this situation frequently report their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also known as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is frequently created by a grubby evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Moisture can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most typical in climates where you use heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling during the afternoon.
How to Solve It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently replace your air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with Dial One Mears Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, because stagnant water can also lead to nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it might be prompted by several issues, like:
- A clogged filter
- Extra condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Solve It
Examine 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 fix the problem, call Dial One Mears Air Conditioning & Heating Inc at 602-789-3315.
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 include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical problems should be inspected quickly to stop a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, shut it off and call us at 602-789-3315 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there might be mold flourishing in your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold produces.
How to Fix It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your wellness. That’s why it’s important to have a professional like Dial One Mears Air Conditioning & Heating Inc look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Professionals Can Get Rid of Odd Air Conditioner Smells Quickly.
You deserve to be comfy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your stinky air conditioner, reach us at 602-789-3315. We’ll diagnose the issue quickly and fix it at a reasonable.