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3 Smells That Tell You That You Need An Emergency AC Repair

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Some air conditioning problems don't need urgent repair. However, there are times when a fault is a sign of an emergency. You need to have your system checked and fixed immediately.

Sometimes, you may notice that you have a serious problem because your air conditioning gives out a certain smell. Which smells are a sign that you need to make an emergency call?

1. Burning

If you can smell burning around any of your air conditioner's units or vents, then you might have a dust build-up problem. This might happen when you start to use your AC at the start of the summer season if the unit contains some dust that hasn't been cleaned out.

However, this smell usually doesn't last long. Small amounts of dust should burn up fast without causing a fire.

If you have a persistent burning smell, then you have a more urgent problem. For example, your system's motor might be overheating. Or, you might have an electrical fault, such as a short or exposed wire.

These smells could turn more serious. They could cause a fire. You should turn off your AC and call an emergency repair technician.

2. Refrigerant

If your air conditioning system develops a leak, then refrigerant might leak out. If enough refrigerant escapes from the system, then its odor might spread through your vents. Or, you might simply smell it around your main AC unit.

Refrigerant often has a distinctive chemical smell. This odor is unpleasantly sweet.

Refrigerant is a dangerous substance. You shouldn't handle it yourself and you should try not to come into contact with it. For example, if a refrigerant gas disperses into the environment, then it can cause allergic reactions or even lung damage.

If you smell this odor, then you should turn off your air conditioning, open windows, and call an emergency service. They will send a technician to fix the leak and clean up any refrigerant that has left the system.

3. Gas

Sometimes, AC systems do leave a gassy smell around their exhaust units. If you smell gas more often in these areas, or if it comes out of your vents, then you should call your utility company and report a leak.

If your gas company doesn't find a leak, then you might have a problem with your system's exhaust and venting parts. You should then call an emergency AC service for advice on what to do next. Given that you can smell gas, they will come out to check your system.

To get an emergency AC repair, contact a local air conditioning repair professional.


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