When your air conditioner is fresh and working right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything odd. Abnormal air conditioner noises and weird smells are a hint that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is old or you haven’t had a tune-up done lately, they can be an obvious sign you need pro air conditioning repair in Manassas.
Here are six of the top air conditioner smells and how you can repair them.
1. Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals
If your air conditioner smells bad when turned on, particularly 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 frequently a sign that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can wear out as time passes.
4 Clues You Have a Refrigerant Leak
In addition to the odd smell, here are four other signs that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is cooling.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your home cold or having your programmed temperature.
- Increasing energy bills.
How You Can Take Care of It
A refrigerant leak needs skilled assistance from a heating and cooling company like Woody's Sudden Service Inc. Your cooling professional will locate and mend the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, per nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it needs to solve.
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 made due to its damaging effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be very expensive so it may be smartest to consider 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 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 fatal in big amounts.
How You Can Solve It
If you detect a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home promptly.
- Getting in touch with your gas company immediately.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who contact us about this issue frequently mention 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 typically caused by a grubby evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Condensation can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most typical in areas where you turn on heating at night and during the morning before switching to cooling later in the day.
How to Repair It
The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to regularly replace your air filter and schedule annual air conditioning maintenance with Woody's Sudden Service Inc. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unclogged, as standing water can also result in noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are experiencing air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it could be the result of several issues, such as:
- A clogged filter
- Too much condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Resolve 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 resolve the smell, contact Woody's Sudden Service Inc at 703-278-2036.
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 needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical issues should be checked right away to stop a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is operating, switch it off and call us at 703-278-2036 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there might be mold flourishing inside your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold produces.
How to Solve It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your wellness. That’s why it’s important to have a pro like Woody's Sudden Service Inc examine your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Professionals Can Get Rid of Unpleasant Air Conditioner Smells Fast
You deserve to be cozy in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your stinky air conditioner, give us a call at 703-278-2036. We’ll determine the trouble quickly and fix it at a fair price.