When your air conditioner is spotless and working correctly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything odd. Abnormal air conditioner noises and weird smells are a clue that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had maintenance done lately, they can be an obvious sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Manassas.
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 smell, isn’t a positive sign. You may also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are typically a sign that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can break out as time passes.
4 Signs You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
Aside from the weird smell, here are four other signs that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner runs.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your residence comfortable or reaching your desired temperature.
- Increasing utility bills.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak calls for skilled support from a heating and cooling company like Air-Right Energy Design, Inc.. Your cooling professional will find and fix the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how long it needs to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, there’s a good chance it has R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be best to do air conditioning installation in this situation.
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 high chance you have a natural gas leak in your residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to warn you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be fatal in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Fix It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home promptly.
- Getting in touch with your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who reach us to report this issue usually 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 created by 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 common in locations where you need 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 regularly get a new air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with Air-Right Energy Design, Inc.. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, because stagnant water can also lead to unpleasant 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 the result of several situations, including:
- A filthy filter
- Too much condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Solve It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t changed it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, we recommend replacing it. If that doesn’t solve the smell, reach Air-Right Energy Design, Inc. at 703-260-1148.
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 couple of things wrong. These entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical malfunctions should be checked quickly to prevent a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, turn it off and call us at 703-260-1148 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful 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 Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your wellness. That’s why we recommend having a pro like Air-Right Energy Design, Inc. check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Pros Can Eliminate Unpleasant Air Conditioner Smells Fast
You deserve to be comfy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your stinky air conditioner, contact us at 703-260-1148. We’ll diagnose the issue quickly and take care of it at a competitive.