When your air conditioner is clean and working right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything odd. Peculiar air conditioner noises and strange smells are a clue that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had service done within the last year, they can be a clear sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Tomball.
Here are six of the most frequent 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, particularly a chemical smell, isn’t a great sign. You might also notice your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical smells are often a clue that your air conditioner is suffering from a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can crack as time passes.
4 Hints You Are Dealing with a Refrigerant Leak
Besides the odd smell, here are four other clues that you have a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is cooling.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Difficulty keeping your home cold or having your programmed temperature.
- High electrical costs.
How You Can Repair It
A refrigerant leak needs professional repairs from a heating and cooling company like Premium Air Services LLC. Your cooling technician will find and mend the leak before recharging your air conditioner with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, according to nationwide averages put together by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it takes to fix.
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 made due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. Consequently, repairs can be very expensive so it may be wisest to consider 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 residence. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to signal you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be deadly in big amounts.
How You Can Repair It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we recommend:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Going outside right away.
- Getting in touch with your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who reach us to report this situation frequently 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 typically linked to a dirty evaporator coil that has mold, mildew and bacteria buildup. Moisture can also make your home air conditioner smell bad. Dirty sock syndrome is most typical in areas where you need heating at night and during the morning before transitioning to cooling later in the day.
How to Solve It
The best method for preventing dirty sock syndrome is to frequently get a new air filter and schedule regular air conditioning maintenance with Premium Air Services LLC. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, because stagnant water can also result in nasty odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or a pungent, vinegar-like odor, it might be the result of several issues, such as:
- A dirty filter
- Too much condensation
- Clogged 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, you should replace it. If that doesn’t solve the problem, call Premium Air Services LLC at 713-364-9957.
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 couple of things wrong. These involve:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that should have lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical problem.
Electrical issues should be checked quickly to stop a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, switch it off and reach us at 713-364-9957 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
An overpowering ammonia odor means there may be mold flourishing in 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 wellness. That’s why we recommend having a specialist like Premium Air Services LLC look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.
Our Professionals Can Get Rid of Unpleasant Air Conditioner Smells Quickly
You deserve to be comfy in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you are looking for relief from your noxious air conditioner, reach us at 713-364-9957. We’ll determine the trouble quickly and resolve it at a competitive.