When your air conditioner is spotless and operating properly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything strange. Abnormal air conditioner noises and strange smells are a hint that something is out of whack. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had a tune-up done within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Shamokin and Sunbury.
Here are six of the top 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 odor, it isn’t a great sign. You could also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical smells are often a clue that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can break out as time goes on.
Four Hints You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the weird smell, here are four other hints that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is on.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your home cool or achieving your set temperature.
- Increasing energy costs.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak needs skilled assistance from a heating and cooling company like LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc.. Your cooling pro will pinpoint and repair the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it takes to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed earlier than 2010, it’s likely it uses R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured because of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a result, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be best to consider 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 good 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, because the gas can be fatal in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Solve It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Shutting off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home right away.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who reach us to report this situation 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 frequently created by a filthy evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Moisture can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most common in areas where you turn on heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later on.
How to Repair It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely replace your air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc.. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, as standing water can also lead to unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are experiencing air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it might be prompted by several situations, including:
- A dirty filter
- Excess condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Solve It
Examine 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 resolve the smell, contact LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. at 570-648-0748.
5. Air Conditioner Smells Like Burning Plastic
If you’re experiencing an air conditioner burning smell or that your air conditioner smells like fish, there could be several things wrong. These entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical issue.
Electrical malfunctions should be examined quickly to prevent a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, turn it off and call us at 570-648-0748 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there might be mold growing within 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 well-being. That’s why it’s important to have a pro like LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Professionals Can Eliminate Unpleasant 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 noxious air conditioner, contact us at 570-648-0748. We’ll figure out the problem quickly and resolve it at a competitive.