When your air conditioner is spotless and working right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything strange. Out of the ordinary air conditioner noises and odd smells are a sign that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had a tune-up scheduled lately, they can be a clear sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Los Angeles.
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, specifically a chemical odor, it isn’t a great sign. You may also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are often a hint that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can crack as time goes on.
Four Signs You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the strange smell, here are four other hints that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is cooling.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your house comfortable or having your set temperature.
- Increasing utility expenses.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak needs skilled assistance from a heating and cooling company like AZ Air Conditioning and Heating. Your cooling technician will locate and repair the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak typically 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 much time it requires to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, there’s a high probability it uses R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being produced as a result of its adverse effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be best to consider air conditioning installation in this situation.
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 residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, as the gas can be deadly in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Repair It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside as soon as possible.
- Calling your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who reach us about this problem frequently say their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also referred to as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is often created 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 climates where you turn on heating at night and during the morning before transitioning to cooling later on.
How to Repair It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to regularly change 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 unclogged, because standing water can also produce unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it can be prompted by several problems, like:
- A filthy filter
- Too much condensation
- Blocked condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Fix It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t changed it 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 noticing 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 requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical problems should be inspected quickly to stop a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, switch it off and reach us at 800-296-5088 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there might be mold growing within 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 well-being. That’s why it’s important to have a specialist like AZ Air Conditioning and Heating look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Pros Can Get Rid of Odd Air Conditioner Smells Fast
You deserve to be comfy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your noxious air conditioner, give us a call at 800-296-5088. We’ll figure out the trouble quickly and take care of it at a reasonable.