When your air conditioner is clean and working right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything weird. Peculiar air conditioner noises and odd smells are a sign that something is up. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had a tune-up scheduled lately, they can be a clear sign you need pro air conditioning repair in Wilkes Barre and Scranton.
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, especially a chemical odor, it isn’t a great sign. You might also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are frequently a sign that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can crack as time passes.
Four hints you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
Besides the strange smell, here are four other signs that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner runs.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your home comfortable or achieving your programmed temperature.
- Higher electrical bills.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak calls for skilled support from a heating and cooling company like GLR Mechanical. Your cooling specialist will pinpoint and repair the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak typically 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 long it needs to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it’s likely it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. Because of this, repairs can be very 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 likely nothing wrong with it. But there’s a good likelihood you have a natural gas leak in your residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be toxic in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Fix It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home right away.
- Getting in touch with your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who reach us about this situation 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 frequently caused 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 typical in climates where you use heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling during the afternoon.
How to Fix It
The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to routinely change your air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with GLR Mechanical. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, since stagnant water can also lead to nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are experiencing air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it could be caused by several problems, such as:
- A dirty filter
- Excess condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t changed it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t fix the problem, contact GLR Mechanical at 570-309-0403.
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 a couple of things wrong. These entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical issues should be examined right away to avoid a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, shut it off and contact us at 570-309-0403 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there could be mold spreading in your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold makes.
How to Fix It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why we recommend having a specialist like GLR Mechanical look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Pros Can Take Care of Strange Air Conditioner Smells Fast.
You deserve to be comfortable in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your stinky air conditioner, contact us at 570-309-0403. We’ll diagnose the issue quickly and resolve it at a fair price.