When your air conditioner is fresh and running correctly, it’s not normal to be smelling anything weird. Abnormal air conditioner noises and weird smells are a hint that something is out of whack. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had a tune-up completed recently, they can be an obvious sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Chelan and Wenatchee.
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 good sign. You might also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical smells are often a hint that your air conditioner is experiencing a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to transfer heat through copper coils, which can crack as time passes.
4 Hints You Have a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the odd smell, here are four other hints 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 home cold or achieving your desired temperature.
- Higher energy bills.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak requires experienced assistance from a heating and cooling company like Lakeside Heating & Air. Your cooling specialist will locate and fix the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Resolving a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages compiled by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it needs to fix.
If your air conditioner was installed prior to 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. Because of this, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be smartest 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 significant probability you have a natural gas leak in your house. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to alert you when there’s a leak, since the gas can be deadly in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Repair It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside as soon as possible.
- Contacting your gas company without delay.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who call us to report this issue frequently share their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it runs. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is frequently created by a filthy evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Moisture 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 turning on cooling during the afternoon.
How to Solve It
The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to frequently replace your air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with Lakeside Heating & Air. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, because stagnant water can also produce nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it could be prompted by several issues, including:
- A clogged filter
- Extra condensation
- Plugged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Repair It
Check your filter first. If you haven’t replaced it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t solve the smell, contact Lakeside Heating & Air at 509-284-4265.
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 number of things wrong. These include:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical issues should be inspected quickly to prevent a fire. If you notice burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, switch it off and contact us at 509-284-4265 without delay.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there might be mold present within 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 well-being. That’s why we recommend having a pro like Lakeside Heating & Air look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Specialists Can Get Rid of Unpleasant Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be comfy in your residence and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your stinky air conditioner, reach us at 509-284-4265. We’ll determine the problem quickly and fix it at a fair price.