When your air conditioner is fresh and operating properly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything strange. Out of the ordinary air conditioner noises and weird smells are a sign that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had a tune-up scheduled recently, they can be a clear sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Franklin Lakes.
Here are six of the most frequent 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, isn’t a positive sign. You could also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are typically a hint that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can crack as time goes on.
4 Signs You Are Dealing with a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the odd smell, here are four other signs that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is operating.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your house cool or achieving your set temperature.
- High utility bills.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak needs experienced support from a heating and cooling company like Total Comfort. Your cooling specialist will pinpoint and fix the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Fixing a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, according to nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it needs to repair.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, it’s likely it uses R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being produced as a result of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a result, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be best to consider air conditioning installation in this circumstance.
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 high probability you have a natural gas leak in your residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be toxic in big amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home as soon as possible.
- Getting in touch with your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who reach us regarding this issue often report their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s on. Also known as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is usually caused 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 common in locations where you use heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling during the afternoon.
How to Solve It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently replace your air filter and schedule routine air conditioning maintenance with Total Comfort. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, because stagnant water can also result in nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it might be caused by several problems, 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 put in a new one within the last three months and can’t see light through it, you should replace it. If that doesn’t fix the smell, reach Total Comfort at 201-268-5663.
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 entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical issue.
Electrical malfunctions should be checked right away to stop a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, shut it off and call us at 201-268-5663 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there may be mold spreading within your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold creates.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why you should have a specialist like Total Comfort examine your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Specialists Can Eliminate Weird Air Conditioner Smells Quickly
You deserve to be comfortable in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your stinky air conditioner, contact us at 201-268-5663. We’ll figure out the trouble quickly and resolve it at a fair price.