When your air conditioner is clean and working right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything odd. Peculiar air conditioner noises and weird smells are a clue that something is out of whack. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had a tune-up scheduled lately, they can be an obvious sign you need pro air conditioning repair in Marshalltown.
Here are six of the most frequent air conditioner smells and how you can resolve them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, specifically a chemical smell, it isn’t a positive sign. You might also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical smells are often a sign that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can break out as time goes on.
Four Clues You Have a Refrigerant Leak
Aside from the odd smell, here are four other hints that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is operating.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your home comfortable or reaching your programmed temperature.
- Higher electrical bills.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak needs experienced assistance from a heating and cooling company like Kapaun & Brown. Your cooling professional will pinpoint and fix the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages compiled by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it requires to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it’s likely it uses 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 situation.
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 house. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be toxic in big amounts.
How You Can Repair It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside as soon as possible.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who contact us regarding this issue often mention their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is typically created by a dirty evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Condensation 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 later on.
How to Repair It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to regularly get a new air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with Kapaun & Brown. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, as standing water can also create unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it can be prompted by several situations, like:
- A filthy filter
- Extra condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve 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 solve the issue, contact Kapaun & Brown at 641-812-2028.
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 requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical malfunctions.
Electrical malfunctions should be checked right away to stop a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, turn it off and call us at 641-812-2028 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there could be mold growing in 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 you should have a specialist like Kapaun & Brown look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Pros Can Eliminate Weird Air Conditioner Smells Quickly
You deserve to be comfortable in your home 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 641-812-2028. We’ll diagnose the problem quickly and resolve it at a fair price.