When your air conditioner is spotless and working right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything strange. Peculiar air conditioner noises and weird smells are a sign that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had maintenance scheduled within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need pro air conditioning repair in Lincoln.
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 scent, it isn’t a great sign. You might also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are regularly a clue that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can crack over time.
Four Clues You Are Dealing with a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the weird smell, here are four other signs that you have a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner runs.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your residence comfortable or achieving your desired temperature.
- Increasing energy costs.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak requires professional assistance from a heating and cooling company like AW Heating & Air Conditioning. Your cooling pro will pinpoint and repair the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak often 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 much time it requires to repair.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, there’s a good chance it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured as a result of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. Consequently, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be best to do air conditioning installation in this circumstance.
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 signal you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be toxic in heavy concentrations.
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 promptly.
- Contacting your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who call us to report this issue frequently share their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also known as 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 turn on heating at night and during the morning before transitioning to cooling during the afternoon.
How to Repair It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to regularly get a new air filter and schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with AW Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, since excess water can also lead to 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 the result of several situations, like:
- A clogged filter
- Too much condensation
- Blocked condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Repair 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 problem, call AW Heating & Air Conditioning at 402-438-7992.
5. Air Conditioner Smells Like Burning Plastic
If you’re dealing with an air conditioner burning smell or that your air conditioner smells like fish, there could be a number of things wrong. These include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical malfunctions.
Electrical malfunctions should be checked quickly to avoid a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, shut it off and contact us at 402-438-7992 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there may be mold growing inside 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 it’s important to have a professional like AW Heating & Air Conditioning look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Pros Can Get Rid of Weird Air Conditioner Smells Quickly
You deserve to be comfy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are seeking relief from your stinky air conditioner, reach us at 402-438-7992. We’ll determine the problem quickly and fix it at a fair price.
