When your air conditioner is clean and running properly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything odd. Out of the ordinary air conditioner noises and odd smells are a hint that something is off. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had service done lately, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in West Valley City.
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, particularly a chemical scent, it isn’t a great sign. You might also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are frequently a hint that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can crack as time goes on.
Four Hints You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the weird smell, here are four other signs that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner runs.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your residence comfortable or having your desired temperature.
- Increasing electrical costs.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak calls for professional support from a heating and cooling company like Select Comfort Systems. Your cooling professional will pinpoint and mend the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it requires to repair.
If your air conditioner was installed earlier than 2010, there’s a good chance it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, 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 significant probability you have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be toxic in big amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home promptly.
- Getting in touch with your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who contact us about this issue often say 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 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 often seen in areas where you need heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later in the day.
How to Solve It
The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to routinely change your air filter and schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with Select Comfort Systems. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, since stagnant water can also produce unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are experiencing air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it can be caused by several situations, such as:
- A dirty filter
- Too much condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Repair It
Examine 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 resolve the smell, reach Select Comfort Systems at 801-305-4777.
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 involve:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical problems should be checked right away to stop a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, turn it off and reach us at 801-305-4777 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there may be mold present in your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold creates.
How to Solve It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your wellness. That’s why we recommend having a specialist like Select Comfort Systems look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Professionals Can Get Rid of Weird Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be cozy in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your noxious air conditioner, give us a call at 801-305-4777. We’ll diagnose the trouble quickly and take care of it at a reasonable.
