When your air conditioner is clean and working right, it’s not normal to be smelling anything strange. Unexpected 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 recently, they can be an obvious sign you need pro air conditioning repair in West Valley City.
Here are six of the most frequent 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 smell, it isn’t a good sign. You might also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are often a clue that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can break out over time.
Four Clues You Are Dealing with a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the strange smell, here are four other signs that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is on.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your residence comfortable or having your programmed temperature.
- Higher energy bills.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak calls for skilled repairs from a heating and cooling company like Select Comfort Systems. Your cooling pro will find and fix the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak typically 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 many hours it takes to repair.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it’s likely it has 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 significantly expensive so it may be best to do air conditioning installation in this instance.
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 likelihood you have a natural gas leak in your house. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be toxic in large amounts.
How You Can Repair It
If you detect 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 now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who reach us regarding this situation usually say their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s on. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is typically created by 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 transitioning to cooling later on.
How to Solve It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely get a new air filter and schedule annual air conditioning maintenance with Select Comfort Systems. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, since excess water can also result in unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it might be caused by several situations, including:
- A clogged filter
- Excess condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t changed it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, call Select Comfort Systems at 801-305-4777.
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 number of things wrong. These include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical malfunctions.
Electrical problems should be examined right away to avoid a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, turn it off and reach us at 801-305-4777 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there might be mold spreading in your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold produces.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why it’s important to have a pro like Select Comfort Systems check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Pros Can Get Rid of Weird Air Conditioner Smells Fast
You deserve to be comfortable in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your noxious air conditioner, contact us at 801-305-4777. We’ll determine the trouble quickly and resolve it at a fair price.
