When your air conditioner is spotless and running right, it’s not normal to be smelling anything weird. Peculiar air conditioner noises and weird smells are a clue that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had service completed recently, they can be a clear sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Shamokin and Sunbury.
Here are six of the most common air conditioner smells and how you can repair them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, especially a chemical smell, it isn’t a great sign. You may also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are typically a clue that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can crack as time passes.
Four Hints You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the weird smell, here are four other clues 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 residence comfortable or achieving your programmed temperature.
- High electrical costs.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak calls for skilled repairs from a heating and cooling company like LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc.. Your cooling specialist will pinpoint and fix the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Resolving 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 many hours it takes to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed prior to 2010, there’s a high probability it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. As a result, repairs can be extremely 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 likelihood 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 deadly in big amounts.
How You Can Repair It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Shutting off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home right away.
- Calling your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who contact us about this problem frequently mention their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is often linked to a filthy evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Excess water can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most typical in locations where you need heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later in the day.
How to Fix It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to regularly get a new air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc.. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, as standing water can also produce noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it can be caused by several problems, including:
- A dirty filter
- Excess condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t replaced it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, you should replace it. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, contact LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. at 570-648-0748.
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 issue.
Electrical issues should be inspected immediately to stop a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, turn it off and call us at 570-648-0748 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there might be mold flourishing within your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold creates.
How to Fix It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why we recommend having a pro like LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Professionals Can Get Rid of Strange Air Conditioner Smells Quickly
You deserve to be cozy in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are seeking relief from your noxious air conditioner, give us a call at 570-648-0748. We’ll diagnose the problem quickly and fix it at a fair price.