Why Your Furnace Has a Strange Smell
As the weather cools down and you swap from cooling to heating your home, some homeowners are worried about weird furnace smells floating in the air. Learn about what the most common furnace smells could mean and how concerned you should be about each one.
The Furnace Smells Musty
Musty furnace odors usually suggest mold growth someplace in the HVAC system. To avoid subjecting your family to mold and mildew spores, address this problem as soon as possible.
A wet air filter can encourage mold, so getting rid of the smell might be as straightforward as replacing the filter. If that fails to remove the smell, the AC evaporator coil placed near the furnace may be the root of the problem. This component gathers condensation, which can induce mold growth. You’ll need a professional’s help to inspect and clean the evaporator coil. When the problem still won’t go away, take a look at scheduling air duct cleaning. This service cleans away hidden mold, no matter where it’s hiding in your air ducts.
The Furnace Smells Like Rotten Eggs
This is one of the most concerning furnace smells because it frequently indicates a gas leak. The utility company puts in a particular substance known as mercaptan to the natural gas supply to make leaks easier to detect.
If you detect a rotten egg smell near your furnace or originating from your ductwork, shut off the heater right away. If you know where the main gas supply valve is located, shut that off too. Then, evacuate your home and contact 911, as well as your gas company. Don’t go back in the house until a professional confirms it’s safe.
The Furnace Has a Sour Stench
If you discover a sour smell that stings your nose while standing close to64} the furnace, this may mean the heat exchanger cracked open. This important component contains68} combustion fumes, such as carbon monoxide, so a crack could spew unsafe levels of CO gas into your home.
Carbon monoxide poisoning has the potential to be deadly, so switch off your furnace as soon as possible if you recognize a sour odor. Then, contact an HVAC professional for an inspection. Consider replacing your furnace if a cracked heat exchanger is to blame. For your family’s safety going forward, ensure you have working CO detectors on each floor of your home.
The Furnace Smells Dusty
When you fire up the furnace for the first time each fall, you should expect a dusty odor to appear for a few minutes. This is the smell of six months’ worth of dust burning away as the furnace wakes up. As long as the smell goes away within a day, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
The Furnace Has a Smoky Smell
Natural gas, oil and propane furnaces are combustion appliances, so they vent fumes to the exterior. A smoky smell will sometimes mean the flue is clogged, and now fumes are flowing back into your home. The odor can reach through the entire house, jeopardizing your family’s health if you ignore it. So shut down the furnace and call a professional as soon as you can to request furnace repair.
The Furnace Smells Like Burning Plastic
Overheating and melting electrical components are the most common reason for a burning plastic smell to make an appearance. A failing fan motor is another common cause. If you don’t correct the problem, an electrical fire may start, or your furnace could end up with irreparable damage. Disable the heating system right away and call an HVAC technician for help identifying and repairing this unusual furnace smell.
The Furnace Has an Oily Smell
If you own an oil furnace, you might notice this odor if the oil filter becomes blocked up. Try replacing it to find out if that fixes the problem. If the smell lingers for more than 24 hours after carrying out this step, it may indicate an oil leak. You should get help from an HVAC specialist to handle this problem.
The Furnace Reeks of Sewer Odors
Sewer gas smells pretty similar to spoiled eggs, so first eliminate the possibility of a natural gas leak. If that’s not the issue, your sewer lines might have an issue, such as a dry trap or sewer leak. Try pouring water down all your drains, including the basement floor drain, to replenish dry sewer traps. If the smell sticks around, you should contact a sewer line repair company.
Contact A1 Chesney Service Experts for Furnace Repair
If you’re still uncertain, get in touch with an HVAC technician to check and repair your furnace. At A1 Chesney Service Experts, we offer complete diagnostic services to pinpoint the problem before the work begins. Then, we encourage the most viable, cost-effective repairs, along with an up-front estimate for every option. Our certified technicians can manage just about any heating repair, and we back our work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee for one year. For details about why your furnace smells bad or to request furnace repair near you, please contact your local A1 Chesney Service Experts office today.
