When your air conditioner is fresh and running right, it’s expected you won’t be smelling anything weird. Unexpected air conditioner noises and odd smells are a hint that something is out of whack. If your air conditioner is aging or you haven’t had maintenance completed within the last year, they can be an obvious sign you need skilled air conditioning repair in Lafayette.

Here are six of the most frequent 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, specifically a chemical smell, it isn’t a great sign. You may also report your:

• Air conditioner smells like paint thinner
• Home air conditioner smells sweet

These sweet, chemical scents are often a clue that your air conditioner has a refrigerant leak. Your system needs this gas to shift heat through copper coils, which can crack over time.

Four Hints You Have a Refrigerant Leak

Aside from the weird smell, here are four other clues that you are dealing with a refrigerant leak.

1. Bubbling or hissing sounds when your air conditioner runs.
2. Ice crystals on refrigerant lines or the evaporator coil.
3. Difficulty keeping your house comfortable or achieving your programmed temperature.
4. High electrical bills.

How You Can Fix It

A refrigerant leak needs skilled support from a heating and cooling company like AC Sales. Your cooling pro will locate and mend the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.

Fixing a refrigerant leak usually costs between $225 and $1,600, based on nationwide averages assembled by HomeAdvisor. Your precise cost will depend on the location and severity of the leak, as well as how long it needs to fix.

If your air conditioner was installed before 2010, there’s a high probability it runs on R-22 or Freon refrigerant. This refrigerant is no longer being made due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. As a result, repairs can be very expensive so it may be best to consider air conditioning installation in this situation.

2. Air Conditioner Smells Like Gas

If your air conditioner smells like rotten eggs, there’s possibly nothing wrong with it. But there’s a significant likelihood 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 fatal in large amounts.

How You Can Repair It

If you smell a sulfur or rotten egg odor, we advise:

• Shutting off your gas supply.
• Opening windows.
• Leaving your home right away.
• Contacting your gas company now.

3. Air Conditioner Smells Musty

People who reach us regarding this situation frequently share 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 frequently 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 locations where you need heating at night and during the morning before transitioning to cooling later on.

How to Repair It

The best way to prevent dirty sock syndrome is to frequently replace your air filter and schedule yearly air conditioning maintenance with AC Sales. We’ll keep the evaporator coil clean and the drainage system flowing, since standing water can also create noxious odors.

4. Air Conditioner Smells Like Vinegar

If you are dealing with air conditioner mildew smell or a strong, vinegar-like odor, it might be caused by several issues, including:

• A filthy filter
• Extra condensation
• Plugged condensate pan or drain line
• Moldy air conditioner or ductwork

How to Solve It

Examine 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, contact AC Sales at (337) 234-2345.

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 several things wrong. These entail:

• Broken capacitator that’s overheating the motor.
• Motor that needs lubrication.
• Broken fan belt.
• Electrical malfunctions.

Electrical problems should be examined immediately to prevent a fire. If you detect burning plastic when your air conditioner is on, turn it off and reach us at (337) 234-2345 without delay.

6. Air Conditioner Smells Like Cat Pee

A strong ammonia odor means there could be mold spreading inside your air conditioner or ductwork. The smell isn’t the mold itself, but the mycotoxins that mold produces.

How to Fix It

Mycotoxins are hazardous to your wellness. That’s why we recommend having a professional like AC Sales check your air conditioner and ductwork and clean it when recommended.

Our Pros Can Get Rid of Weird Air Conditioner Smells Rapidly

You deserve to be comfy in your home and shouldn’t have an air conditioner that smells bad. When you need relief from your smelly air conditioner, give us a call at (337) 234-2345. We’ll determine the trouble quickly and fix it at a fair price.