Electrical Smell From Air Conditioner

We have a name for a stale musty and sometimes cheesy smell coming from an air conditioner or other hvac appliance.

Electrical smell from air conditioner.

This smell needs to be examined by a professional immediately as there is a risk for fire with any electrical problem. If you are just turning on your heater this could be a problem which will eventually go away on its own. For example there may be bad wiring in your air conditioner wiring or your motor may be burning out. Have a professional locate and repair the leak before recharging your system with refrigerant.

Give it 20 to 30 minutes and see if the smell dissipates. A stale and dingy smell is by far the most common and foul smell that is experienced from acs. There are plastic components surrounding the wiring with your system and is the wiring starts you burn you will notice a foul odor. Electronic air cleaners can produce ozone which has a slightly sweet scent.

When you turn on the air conditioner you may smell stale cigarette smoke. Burning plastic or rubber smells indicate there is a piece within the unit that is melting. Electrical odors could indicate a mechanical problem with your ac fan or compressor wiring issues or electrical component failure. If your air conditioner smells moldy the general cause is accumulation of water in the drain pan or drip lines or ducts in case of ducted systems which can cause fungus or mildew to grow.

If it does it probably was just the dust burning off. If you experience a smell similar to burning plastic rubber or a burning electrical smell this is not normal and will require professional help. Electrical odors can have a variety of causes. Change the filter schedule a professional tune up and cleaning and only smoke outdoors.

Electrical components are burning if you notice a burning plastic smell that also smells like sulfur or rotten eggs there could be a dangerous electrical failure lurking within your air conditioning system. Cigarette smoke if someone has smoked in the home the odors could accumulate in the filter and evaporator coil. Mold and mildew growth is the most common cause of bad smells in your ac system. Also known as bacterial growth mold and mildew will circulate through your indoor air once it has settled in your air conditioner.

Made with a variety of metals and chemicals prolonged exposure to these fumes is not healthy. Other contaminants in your hvac system will do the same if left unattended. In the fall the first few times the heater kicks on it may emit a burning odor that can smell electrical and dusty. When your heater is burning off dust and dirt it will smell musty.