When your air conditioner is fresh and working correctly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything weird. Unusual air conditioner noises and weird smells are a sign that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had a tune-up done within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Yukon.
Here are six of the most common 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, specifically a chemical odor, it isn’t a great sign. You might also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are often a hint that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can break out as time goes on.
Four Hints You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the weird smell, here are four other clues that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is cooling.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your house comfortable or achieving your programmed temperature.
- Increasing energy bills.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak needs professional assistance from a heating and cooling company like Comfort Concepts Heating & Air Conditioning. Your cooling technician will pinpoint and repair the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it requires to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed prior to 2010, it’s likely it uses R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made because of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. Consequently, 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 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 toxic in large amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Shutting off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside promptly.
- Contacting your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who reach us regarding this problem 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 typically created by 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 common in areas where you use heating at night and during the morning before transitioning to cooling during the afternoon.
How to Fix It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely get a new air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with Comfort Concepts Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, as excess water can also create unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it can be caused by several situations, including:
- A clogged filter
- Too much condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Fix 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 resolve the smell, contact Comfort Concepts Heating & Air Conditioning at 405-494-7444.
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 several things wrong. These involve:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical problems should be checked quickly to stop a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, switch it off and contact us at 405-494-7444 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there may be mold flourishing within 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 it’s important to have a specialist like Comfort Concepts Heating & Air Conditioning look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Professionals Can Eliminate Strange Air Conditioner Smells Fast
You deserve to be cozy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your smelly air conditioner, contact us at 405-494-7444. We’ll figure out the problem quickly and take care of it at a reasonable.
