When your air conditioner is fresh and operating right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything odd. Unexpected air conditioner noises and odd smells are a clue that something is off. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had service completed within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need pro air conditioning repair in Cottonwood & Prescott.
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, particularly a chemical odor, it isn’t a positive sign. You might also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are typically a clue that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can wear out as time goes on.
Four hints you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
Aside from the weird 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.
- Difficulty keeping your house cold or achieving your desired temperature.
- Higher energy costs.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak needs experienced repairs from a heating and cooling company like Connolly Electric & Mechanical. Your cooling professional will find and mend the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it needs to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, there’s a high probability it has R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being produced because of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be best to schedule 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 likelihood you have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be fatal in big amounts.
How You Can Repair It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home as soon as possible.
- Calling your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who contact us to report this issue frequently say their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s on. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is usually 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 locations where you use heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later in the day.
How to Repair It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently change your air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with Connolly Electric & Mechanical. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, since excess water can also produce noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are experiencing air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it can be prompted by several issues, such as:
- A clogged filter
- Too much condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Fix It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t put in a new one within the last three months and can’t see light through it, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t fix the issue, reach Connolly Electric & Mechanical at 928-251-4327.
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 a number of things wrong. These entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical malfunction.
Electrical issues should be inspected quickly to stop a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, turn it off and contact us at 928-251-4327 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there could be mold present 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 you should have a specialist like Connolly Electric & Mechanical look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Professionals Can Take Care of Odd Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly.
You deserve to be comfy in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your stinky air conditioner, reach us at 928-251-4327. We’ll figure out the problem quickly and resolve it at a competitive.
