When your air conditioner is spotless and operating right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything weird. Unusual air conditioner noises and weird smells are a hint that something is wrong. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had maintenance done recently, they can be a clear sign you need pro air conditioning repair in Cedar Rapids.
Here are six of the most frequent 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, especially a chemical odor, it isn’t a good sign. You might also report your:
- Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
- Home air conditioner smells sweet
These sweet, chemical odors are often a hint that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system uses this gas to move heat through copper coils, which can wear out as time goes on.
Four Hints You Are Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
Aside from 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 on.
- Ice on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
- It’s hard keeping your house cold or having your set temperature.
- Increasing utility expenses.
How You Can Fix It
A refrigerant leak requires experienced assistance from a heating and cooling company like Ilten's. Your cooling pro will locate and mend the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.
Repairing a refrigerant leak often costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your total cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how many hours it takes to solve.
If your air conditioner was installed prior to 2010, there’s a high probability it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being produced as a result of its harmful effects on the ozone layer. Consequently, repairs can be significantly expensive so it may be smartest to do 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 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 toxic in heavy concentrations.
How You Can Repair It
If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:
- Switching off your gas supply.
- Opening windows.
- Leaving your home as soon as possible.
- Contacting your gas company now.
3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty
Individuals who reach us to report this issue usually say their air conditioner smells like feet, dirty socks or a locker room when it’s running. Also known as dirty sock syndrome, this smell is often linked to 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 often seen in climates where you need 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 regularly replace your air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with Ilten's. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system unblocked, because stagnant water can also create unpleasant odors.
4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar
If you are living with air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it can be prompted by several situations, like:
- A filthy filter
- Too much condensation
- Clogged condensate pan or drain line
- Moldy air conditioner or ductwork
How to Solve 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, it’s time to replace it. If that doesn’t fix the smell, reach Ilten's at 319-208-2351.
5. Air Conditioner Smells Like Burning Plastic
If you’re dealing with 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 trouble.
Electrical malfunctions should be checked right away to avoid a fire. If you smell burning plastic when your air conditioner is running, turn it off and contact us at 319-208-2351 immediately.
6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee
A strong ammonia odor means there may be mold spreading within your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold makes.
How to Repair It
Mycotoxins are hazardous to your well-being. That’s why we recommend having a pro like Ilten's check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when necessary.
Our Pros Can Take Care of Strange Air Conditioner Smells Fast
You deserve to be comfortable in your house and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your stinky air conditioner, reach us at 319-208-2351. We’ll determine the trouble quickly and take care of it at a competitive.