When your air conditioner is clean and working right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything weird. Unexpected air conditioner noises and odd smells are a clue that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is past its prime or you haven’t had maintenance scheduled within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need professional air conditioning repair in Oxford.
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 scent, it isn’t a great sign. You could also observe your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical scents are regularly a clue that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can crack as time passes.
Four Clues You Are Dealing with a Refrigerant Leak
Aside from the strange smell, here are four other clues that you have a refrigerant leak.
- Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner is on.
- Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- Trouble keeping your residence cold or having your set temperature.
- Higher energy bills.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak needs experienced repairs from a heating and cooling company like Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Your cooling specialist will pinpoint and repair the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak typically costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your exact cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how much time it takes to solve.
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 produced due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a consequence, repairs can be extremely expensive so it may be best to schedule 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 good chance you have a natural gas leak in your house. Natural gas has a sulfur-like additive to alert you when there’s a leak, because the gas can be deadly in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Repair It
If you notice a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we suggest:
- Turning off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Evacuating your home promptly.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
People who reach us about this problem usually mention their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s on. Also called dirty sock syndrome, this smell is typically caused by a dirty 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 locations where you use heating at night and during the morning before switching to 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 routine air conditioning maintenance with Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, since stagnant water can also create noxious odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or an acidic, vinegar-like odor, it can be caused by several issues, including:
- A clogged filter
- Excess condensation
- Blocked condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Solve It
Inspect your filter first. If you haven’t changed it within the last three months and can’t see light through it, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t resolve the smell, call 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 number of things wrong. These entail:
- Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
- Motor that needs lubrication.
- Broken fan belt.
- Electrical trouble.
Electrical malfunctions should be examined right away to stop a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, switch it off and contact us at 662-281-1231 right away.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there may be mold spreading in your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold produces.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your health. That’s why it’s important to have a professional like Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc look at your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when needed.
Our Professionals Can Get Rid of Odd Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly
You deserve to be comfortable 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 662-281-1231. We’ll diagnose the issue quickly and take care of it at a fair price.