If you’ve turned on your AC unit recently and smelled something burning, you may be wondering what’s happening. Luckily, this is a fairly common thing, and somewhat easy to diagnose.
Here are three reasons:
There is a fire in your home, and the unit is circulating air from where the fire is. Your heater is burning-off dust. Something in your AC unit is overheating. First and foremost, if you think it may be number one, stop reading this, evacuate your home, and call 911. This, of course, is a more serious issue. If you haven’t turned on your heat recently, number two can probably be eliminated. That leaves number three as the culprit (assuming there’s no fire in your home).
If your AC unit is in cooling mode, and you smell burning, shut it off immediately. Running it while something is wrong will create bigger, more expensive issues for you. You’ll need to call an experienced AC repairman.
In the meantime, here are some reasons your unit could be overheating.
Overheating Motor
In the inside part of your AC unit, there’s a fan that moves the air around your home. The bearings in the fan can break down, causing the motor that powers the fan to overheat. If that happens, you’ll smell a burning smell. Bad Capacitor The capacitor helps the motor run. When it has an issue, the motor can overheat, and create the burning smell you may be encountering.
Electrical Problems
It’s also possible that there are other electrical problems in your unit causing other components to overheat. A trained professional will be able to figure out what the issue is.
Clogged Air Filter
If your air filter is clogged, it won’t be able to move air through your AC unit and you may smell something burning. This is because the components have to work harder to cool your home. This extra strain can lead to overheating in some cases.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant moves heat from your home to outdoors, and if there’s a leak in your AC unit, there won’t be enough to do that job. This will cause your air conditioner to overwork and then overheat. Fortunately, most repair experts can detect a refrigerant leak with the right equipment.
Six Tips to Help You Choose The Correct AC For Your Home
It is important to choose the right AC for your home, as it can help you get optimum cooling while also avoiding problems like burning smells from vents and also helping you save on electricity bills. Here are some tips that will help you pick the right one:
1. Consider the size of your room: Size is an important factor when choosing an AC unit. A unit that is too large will consume more power and will result in higher electricity bills.
2. Look at the energy efficiency ratings: The energy efficiency rating of an air conditioner tells you how much energy it uses to produce a certain amount of cooling. Higher-rated ACs are more efficient, so they use less power and cost less money to run.
3. Consider the noise level: Air conditioners can be quite noisy, so it is important that you look for one that has a low noise rating. The lower the number, the quieter the AC unit will be.
4. Choose the right type of AC: There are various types of air conditioners available in the market and each one has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. It is important to consider the size of your room, budget, energy efficiency ratings, noise levels, and other features before choosing one.
5. Choose the right installation type: Installation plays a major role in an air conditioner’s performance. If you are looking for efficient cooling, it is important that you get the right installation.
6. Research online: Doing some online research is a great way to compare prices, features, and customer reviews of various AC units. It’s also helpful to understand the pros and cons of each type before making a purchase decision. By considering these points, you can make an informed decision and choose the right AC for your home.
Call The Air Conditioning Experts in Buffalo, MN
If your air conditioning system is giving off a burning smell, don’t panic. The professionals at DeZiel Heating & AC specialize in dissecting and determining what the issues are in your air conditioner and fixing them. We are happy to come out to your home or business and inspect your AC, keep you cool and get your system back up and running efficiently. To learn more, call DeZiel Heating & AC today at (763) 200-5453 .
