Central Air Conditioner Smells Like Chemicals

Bad smells are never a good sign.

Central air conditioner smells like chemicals.

Sometimes though there can be a slight chemical smell coming from the central air conditioner. The homeowner s guide to the 7 causes of bad ac smells. The most likely culprit. Chemicals near the air handler furnace a refrigerant leak mold.

Refrigerant travels through closed copper coils think of the coils as the ac s veins. Refrigerant is the lifeblood of your air conditioner. 6 toxic air conditioning smells and what they mean 1. Must mildew and mold.

A smell from an ac such as this most likely means there is a leak in your refrigerant line. A smell like mildew or mold is probably the most common ailment of hvac systems. Also known as bacterial growth mold and mildew will circulate through your indoor air once it has settled in your air conditioner. A refrigerant leak mold on your evaporator coils open containers of chemicals near the indoor air handler.

There are other possible culprits but a refrigerant leak should be attended to sooner rather than later. Many fluids are used within your hvac system that could result in an assortment of chemical odors with system malfunction making prompt attention advisable. There are three main causes of central air conditioning smelling like chemicals. Electrical odors could indicate a mechanical problem with your ac fan or compressor wiring.

Here is useful information on the smells that may be coming from your air conditioning vents. Moreover it releases chemicals into the air and thus can be hazardous for the environment. Your air conditioner uses refrigerant to remove the heat from your home s warm air. When the moisture doesn t drain properly it can escape into the ducts and cause mold.

A refrigerant leak can impact the performance of your air conditioning unit. Cousin to burning smells a distinctive gunpowder like aroma may also be due to a fried circuit. Over time sometimes these copper coils crack and leak refrigerant. When the ac is running there is a lot of condensation within the unit.

If your air conditioner smells like paint thinner formaldehyde or other chemicals it s always better being safe than sorry. Mold and mildew growth is the most common cause of bad smells in your ac system. If there is excess humidity or moisture in the hvac system you could end up with mold and mildew flowing through the ductwork. However your air conditioner does make use of some fluids and when heated they can smell like exhaust fumes.

Refrigerant has a sweet chloroform scent so that could be the chemical odor you re smelling. In most cases this is indicative of a refrigerant leak.