When your air conditioner is fresh and running properly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything strange. Unexpected air conditioner noises and weird smells are a clue that something is off. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had a tune-up completed lately, they can be an obvious sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Lake Worth.
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, specifically a chemical odor, it isn’t a great sign. You might also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are typically a hint that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can wear out as time passes.
Four signs you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
In addition to the weird smell, here are four other hints that you have 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 house cold or achieving your set temperature.
- Higher utility expenses.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak requires professional assistance from a heating and cooling company like Smyth Air Conditioning. Your cooling pro will locate and fix the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak often 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 many hours it needs to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it’s likely it has R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured as a result of its adverse effects on the ozone layer. Consequently, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be smartest to schedule air conditioning installation in this instance.
2. Air Conditioner Smells Like Gas
If your air conditioner smells like rotten eggs, there’s possibly nothing wrong with it. But there’s a significant 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, as the gas can be deadly in big amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Shutting off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home as soon as possible.
- Contacting your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who reach us about this problem usually report their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s on. Also known as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is frequently created by a grubby 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 common in climates where you turn on heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling later on.
How to Fix It
The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to regularly replace your air filter and schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with Smyth Air Conditioning. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, as excess water can also produce unpleasant 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 issues, including:
- A filthy filter
- Extra condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve It
Inspect 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 resolve the smell, contact Smyth Air Conditioning at 561-533-6066.
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 couple of things wrong. These include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that should have lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical issues should be examined immediately to stop a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, turn it off and call us at 561-533-6066 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there could be mold flourishing 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 wellness. That’s why we recommend having a professional like Smyth Air Conditioning examine your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Professionals Can Eliminate Strange Air Conditioner Smells Fast.
You deserve to be comfy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your noxious air conditioner, give us a call at 561-533-6066. We’ll figure out the issue quickly and resolve it at a fair price.