When your air conditioner is spotless and working properly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything odd. Peculiar air conditioner noises and weird smells are a sign that something is off. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had maintenance completed lately, they can be an obvious sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Hasbrouck Heights.
Here are six of the top 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, especially a chemical smell, it isn’t a positive sign. You could also report 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 uses this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can wear out over time.
Four clues you have 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 is cooling.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your house cool or having your desired temperature.
- High electrical costs.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak needs skilled repairs from a heating and cooling company like ACE Solutions. Your cooling professional will pinpoint and repair 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 requires to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, there’s a high probability it has R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made because of its negative effects on the ozone layer. Consequently, repairs can be very expensive so it may be wisest to do air conditioning installation in this instance.
2. Air Conditioner Smells Like Gas
If your air conditioner smells like rotten eggs, there’s probably nothing wrong with it. But there’s a good chance you have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to warn you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be fatal in big amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Shutting off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home as soon as possible.
- Calling your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who contact us regarding this issue often say their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is typically linked to a filthy evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Moisture can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most typical in areas where you need heating at night and during the morning before transitioning to cooling later in the day.
How to Fix It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently change your air filter and schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with ACE Solutions. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, because standing water can also produce noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it could be caused by several problems, like:
- A clogged 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 replaced it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, we recommend replacing it. If that doesn’t fix the problem, call ACE Solutions at 201-426-0650.
5. Air Conditioner Smells Like Burning Plastic
If you’re experiencing 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 should have lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical issues should be checked quickly to stop a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, shut it off and reach us at 201-426-0650 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there could be mold present in your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold makes.
How to Solve It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your wellness. That’s why we recommend having a professional like ACE Solutions examine your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Pros Can Take Care of Weird Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly.
You deserve to be cozy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are seeking relief from your smelly air conditioner, contact us at 201-426-0650. We’ll determine the trouble quickly and take care of it at a fair price.