Why Your Furnace Has a Strange Smell
As the weather cools down and you transition from cooling to heating your home, you might be worried about strange furnace smells floating in the air. Learn about what the most common furnace smells could mean and how proactive you should be about each one.
The Furnace Smells Musty
Musty furnace smells usually suggest mold growth hiding in the HVAC system. To avoid subjecting your family to these microorganisms, handle this problem as soon as possible.
A damp air filter can encourage mold, so eliminating the smell might be as straightforward as swapping out filter. If that fails to remove the smell, the AC evaporator coil placed near the furnace may be to blame. This component gathers condensation, which will sometimes induce mold growth. You’ll be better off with a professional’s help to examine and clean the evaporator coil. When all else fails, start thinking about investing in air duct cleaning. This service removes hidden mold, regardless of where it’s hiding in your ductwork.
The Furnace Smells Like Spoiled Eggs
This is one of the most concerning furnace smells due to the fact that it probably suggests a gas leak. The utility company includes a special substance known as mercaptan to the natural gas supply to make leaks easier to detect.
If you recognize a rotten egg smell close to your furnace or originating from your air ducts, shut off the heater straightaway. If you can find where the main gas supply valve is placed, shut that off too. Then, evacuate your home and call 911, followed by your gas company. Don’t reenter the house until a professional confirms it’s safe.
The Furnace Has a Sour Stench
If you notice a sour smell that stings your nose while standing close to64} the furnace, this might mean the heat exchanger is cracked. This vital component contains68} combustion fumes, such as carbon monoxide, so a crack could pump unsafe levels of CO gas into your home.
Carbon monoxide poisoning has the potential to be deadly, so turn off your furnace as soon as possible if you notice a sour odor. Then, contact an HVAC professional for an inspection. Consider replacing your furnace if a cracked heat exchanger is responsible. For your continued safety going forward, make sure you have functional CO detectors on all floors of your home.
The Furnace Smells Dusty
When you turn on the furnace for the first time every fall, you can expect a dusty odor to fill the house for a few minutes. This is the smell of six months’ worth of dust burning off as the furnace wakes up. As long as the smell disperses 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 up and out of your home. A smoky smell could mean the flue is blocked, and now fumes are settling back into your home. The odor may permeate the entire house, risking your family’s health if you let it continue. So shut down the furnace and get in touch with a professional as soon as you can to arrange for repair.
The Furnace Smells Like Burning Plastic
Overheating and burned electrical components are the most likely reason for a burning plastic smell to appear. A failing fan motor is also possible. If you don’t tackle the problem, an electrical fire may start, or your furnace could suffer from irreparable damage. Disable the heating system as soon as possible and contact an HVAC technician for help identifying and repairing this weird furnace smell.
The Furnace Has an Oily Smell
If you have an oil furnace, you may pick up on this odor whenever the oil filter becomes clogged. Try replacing it to determine if that addresses the problem. If the smell lingers for more than one day after taking care of this step, it may imply an oil leak. You’ll be better off with help from an HVAC specialist to address this problem.
The Furnace Reeks of Sewer Odors
Sewer gas smells quite similar to spoiled eggs, so first determine the likelihood of a natural gas leak. If that’s not the source, the sewer lines could have an issue, such as a dry trap or sewer leak. Flush water down all your drains, including the basement floor drain, to refresh dried-out sewer traps. If the smell persists, you’ll need to contact a sewer line repair company.
Contact McKinley Heating Service Experts for Furnace Repair
If you’re still unsure, call an HVAC technician to assess and repair your furnace. At McKinley Heating Service Experts, we perform comprehensive diagnostic services to identify the problem before repairs begin. Then, we recommend the most viable, cost-effective repairs, as well as an up-front estimate for every option. Our certified technicians can handle just about any heating problem, and we back our work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee for one year. To ask questions about why your furnace smells bad or to request furnace repair near you, please contact your local McKinley Heating Service Experts office today.
