When your air conditioner is clean and running correctly, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything weird. Peculiar air conditioner noises and strange smells are a sign that something is out of whack. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had a tune-up done lately, they can be a sure sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Oxford.
Here are six of the top air conditioner smells and how you can resolve them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, especially a chemical smell, isn’t a great sign. You could also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are often a clue that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system relies on this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can wear out over time.
4 Hints You Are Dealing with a Refrigerant Leak
Aside from the weird smell, here are four other signs that you are experiencing a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is on.
- Frost on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your residence cold or achieving your desired temperature.
- Higher energy bills.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak needs professional repairs from a heating and cooling company like Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Your cooling professional will pinpoint and mend the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, according to nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it requires to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed early than 2010, there’s a good chance it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being manufactured as a result of its damaging effects on the ozone layer. As a result, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be wisest to do air conditioning installation in this situation.
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 good 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, because the gas can be fatal in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Fix It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home as soon as possible.
- Contacting your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who contact us regarding this problem usually say 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 frequently linked to a dirty evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Excess water can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most often seen in areas where you use heating at night and during the morning before turning on cooling later in the day.
How to Fix It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to regularly change your air filter and schedule annual air conditioning maintenance with Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, because stagnant water can also lead to unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it could be prompted by several issues, like:
- A filthy filter
- Excess condensation
- Blocked 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, we recommend replacing it. If that doesn’t fix the smell, contact Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc at 662-281-1231.
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 include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical issue.
Electrical malfunctions should be examined immediately to avoid a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, turn it off and reach us at 662-281-1231 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there may be mold growing inside 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 health. That’s why we recommend having a specialist like Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Professionals Can Get Rid of Strange Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be cozy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your smelly air conditioner, give us a call at 662-281-1231. We’ll determine the trouble quickly and take care of it at a reasonable.