When your air conditioner is fresh and running right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything strange. Unexpected air conditioner noises and strange smells are a sign that something is up. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had maintenance completed lately, they can be an obvious sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Port St. Lucie.
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 smell, it isn’t a great sign. You could also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are regularly a clue that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can crack over time.
Four Clues You Have a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the strange smell, here are four other clues that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is on.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your house comfortable or achieving your desired temperature.
- High utility costs.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak requires experienced support from a heating and cooling company like Custom Air Systems Inc. Your cooling specialist will find and fix the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Repairing 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 many hours it requires to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed prior to 2010, it’s likely it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured because of its adverse effects on the ozone layer. Consequently, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be smartest to do 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 home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to alert you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be toxic in big amounts.
How You Can Fix It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside as soon as possible.
- Getting in touch with your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who reach us to report this problem frequently report their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also known as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is usually 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 turn on heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later on.
How to Fix It
The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to frequently get a new air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with Custom Air Systems Inc. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, since standing water can also produce noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it can be prompted by several issues, like:
- A dirty filter
- Too much condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Solve It
Examine your filter first. If you haven’t put in a new one within the last three months and can’t see light through it, we recommend replacing it. If that doesn’t solve the issue, contact Custom Air Systems Inc at 772-247-2283.
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 entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical problems should be checked right away to stop a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, switch it off and call us at 772-247-2283 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there might be mold growing in your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold creates.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why it’s important to have a specialist like Custom Air Systems Inc examine 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 comfy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are seeking relief from your smelly air conditioner, reach us at 772-247-2283. We’ll figure out the issue quickly and fix it at a reasonable.
