When your air conditioner is fresh and working properly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything odd. Unusual air conditioner noises and odd smells are a hint that something is off. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had a tune-up scheduled within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Moline.
Here are six of the most frequent air conditioner smells and how you can fix them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, specifically a chemical scent, it isn’t a good sign. You could also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical smells are often a hint that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can crack over time.
Four signs you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
Aside from the strange smell, here are four other hints that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is cooling.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your home cold or achieving your set temperature.
- High energy bills.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak needs professional assistance from a heating and cooling company like J.L. Brady Company LLC. Your cooling professional will find and repair the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it needs to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed prior to 2010, there’s a good chance it has R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being produced due to its adverse effects on the ozone layer. As a result, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be wisest to consider 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 residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be deadly in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Fix It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home promptly.
- Getting in touch with your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who contact us to report this issue frequently share their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also known as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is typically linked to a filthy 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 areas where you turn on heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling later on.
How to Fix It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently get a new air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with J.L. Brady Company LLC. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, because standing water can also create nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it might be prompted by several problems, such as:
- A filthy 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 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 problem, contact J.L. Brady Company LLC at 309-517-7511.
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 needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical issues should be examined immediately to prevent a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, switch it off and reach us at 309-517-7511 immediately.
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 makes.
How to Fix It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your wellness. That’s why you should have a pro like J.L. Brady Company LLC look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Pros Can Take Care of Strange Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly.
You deserve to be cozy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your noxious air conditioner, contact us at 309-517-7511. We’ll determine the trouble quickly and fix it at a competitive.
