When your air conditioner is spotless and working correctly, you shouldn’t be smelling anything strange. Unexpected air conditioner noises and odd smells are a sign that something is off. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had a tune-up done lately, they can be a sure sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Hudsonville.
Here are six of the most frequent 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, particularly a chemical smell, it isn’t a positive sign. You might also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are often a hint that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can wear out as time goes on.
Four Signs You Have a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the odd smell, here are four other clues that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is operating.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your house cool or having your programmed temperature.
- High energy bills.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak needs professional repairs from a heating and cooling company like West Michigan Heating & Air Conditioning Services. Your cooling professional will pinpoint and fix the leak before recharging your AC with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how long it needs to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, it’s likely it has R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured due to its adverse effects on the ozone layer. Because of this, repairs can be very expensive so it may be smartest to do air conditioning installation in this instance.
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 chance you have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to alert you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be toxic in large amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside as soon as possible.
- Calling your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who contact us about this situation frequently say their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also referred to as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is often 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 climates 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 annual air conditioning maintenance with West Michigan Heating & Air Conditioning Services. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, because stagnant water can also result in unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it can be prompted by several situations, such as:
- A clogged filter
- Excess 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, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t solve the issue, reach West Michigan Heating & Air Conditioning Services at (616) 319-1436.
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 couple of things wrong. These involve:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that requires lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical malfunctions should be inspected right away to avoid a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, switch it off and call us at (616) 319-1436 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A powerful ammonia odor means there may be mold spreading inside your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold creates.
How to Solve It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why we recommend having a specialist like West Michigan Heating & Air Conditioning Services look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Specialists Can Get Rid of Strange Air Conditioner Smells Quickly
You deserve to be comfy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your smelly air conditioner, give us a call at (616) 319-1436. We’ll figure out the trouble quickly and take care of it at a reasonable.
