When your air conditioner is fresh and working correctly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything odd. Abnormal air conditioner noises and weird smells are a sign that something is out of whack. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had service completed lately, they can be a sure sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Los Angeles.
Here are six of the most common air conditioner smells and how you can solve them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, specifically a chemical scent, isn’t a positive sign. You could also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are regularly a hint that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can wear out as time passes.
4 Clues You Are Dealing with a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the strange smell, here are four other clues that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is operating.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your home cool or achieving your programmed temperature.
- High electrical expenses.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak requires skilled assistance from a heating and cooling company like AZ Air Conditioning and Heating. Your cooling specialist will find and repair the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, according to nationwide averages compiled by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it takes to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, there’s a good chance it uses R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being produced because of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be wisest to schedule 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 significant probability you have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to warn you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be fatal in big amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Shutting off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home as soon as possible.
- Call your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Homeowners who call us about this problem usually share their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is usually caused by a dirty 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 locations where you use heating at night and during the morning before transitioning to cooling later in the day.
How to Repair It
The best approach for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to routinely replace your air filter and schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with AZ Air Conditioning and Heating. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, since excess water can also create unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it might be caused by several issues, including:
- A dirty filter
- Excess condensation
- Blocked condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Repair It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t put in a new one within the last three months and can’t see light through it, we recommend replacing it. If that doesn’t fix the smell, reach AZ Air Conditioning and Heating at 800-296-5088.
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 issue.
Electrical problems should be examined right away to prevent a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, turn it off and reach us at 800-296-5088 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there may be mold present inside your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold produces.
How to Fix It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your wellness. That’s why you should have a professional like AZ Air Conditioning and Heating examine your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Specialists Can Get Rid of Odd Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be comfy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your noxious air conditioner, reach us at 800-296-5088. We’ll determine the trouble quickly and resolve it at a fair price.