When your air conditioner is fresh and operating right, it’s not normal to be smelling anything odd. Peculiar air conditioner noises and strange smells are a hint that something is up. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had maintenance done within the last year, they can be a clear sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Tucson and 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 scent, it isn’t a good sign. You might also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are often a sign that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can wear out over time.
Four clues you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
Aside from the strange smell, here are four other clues that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is on.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your residence cold or achieving your desired temperature.
- Increasing energy costs.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak calls for experienced assistance from a heating and cooling company like Desert Husky HVAC/R Services. Your cooling pro will pinpoint and mend the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Repairing 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 much time it requires to repair.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, there’s a good chance it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made as a result of its negative effects on the ozone layer. Because of this, repairs can be very expensive so it may be wisest to do air conditioning installation in this circumstance.
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 warn you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be fatal in big amounts.
How You Can Fix It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Shutting off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home as soon as possible.
- Getting in touch with your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who reach us about this issue often say their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also referred to as 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 common in areas where you need heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling later on.
How to Solve It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to regularly get a new air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with Desert Husky HVAC/R Services. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, since standing water can also create unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it could be prompted by several situations, such as:
- A filthy filter
- Too much condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve It
Inspect your filter first. If you haven’t changed it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, you should replace it. If that doesn’t fix the smell, call Desert Husky HVAC/R Services at 520-416-5415.
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 several things wrong. These include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that should have lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical issue.
Electrical problems should be inspected right away to prevent a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, shut it off and contact us at 520-416-5415 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there could be mold growing within your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold makes.
How to Solve It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why you should have a professional like Desert Husky HVAC/R Services look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Professionals Can Eliminate Strange Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly.
You deserve to be comfortable in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your stinky air conditioner, give us a call at 520-416-5415. We’ll diagnose the issue quickly and resolve it at a reasonable.