Identifying These Five Strange Furnace Smells

It’s the time of year when the heat is getting turned on in your home, and most people have the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality when it comes to their furnace. That is, until something goes wrong, like the heat turning off completely, or when strange noises or smells are noticed.

If you begin to run your heater this winter and notice a strange smell filling your home, it’s not something you should just ignore. Some smells mean very little harm to you, your family and your home, but others can indicate danger or major furnace breakdowns. It’s important that you pay attention to any smells occurring and call for furnace repair in central Kansas as soon as possible.

To help you identify which smells might cause which problems, here are some of the most common furnace smells and their causes:

• Rotten eggs: Perhaps one of the most serious smells to come from your furnace is the awful smell of rotten eggs. This odor is pretty unmistakable and typically means that there is a gas leak in your home. This could potentially cause an explosion or health problems, so you should turn off your furnace and open windows to ventilate your home as soon as possible. Then, exit the building and call a professional to handle the problem.
• Metallic or electrical: If you notice smell that is metallic or electrical, like burning wires, it usually means that components of your furnace are overheating. It might be a metal or rubber part that is causing the problem, but both might cause additional damage and result in a safety shutoff, so you should turn off the furnace and call for furnace repair in central Kansas immediately.
• Burning dust: The burning dust smell is pretty common and usually is the result of accumulated dust in the furnace unit burning when the system is run for the first time or two. If the smell persists for multiple days, you may want to call a professional to have it checked out.
• Smoke: A smoke smell is most common in homes with chimneys and is typically caused by a blockage in the chimney that forces air to go through the air ducts. Cleaning the chimney thoroughly should resolve the issue.
• Oil: A smell of oil might indicate that you have a dirty filter and need to change it. It’s important to remember to change your filters every one to two months. The smell also may be caused by burning plastic, if toys or other objects are too close to the furnace unit. If you check both of these things and the smell is still strong, you may have an oil leak that requires a professional’s help.

If your furnace is giving off strange smells, call an expert for help in identifying and rectifying any furnace problems that might be associated with it. K V K Inc. is your go-to company for furnace repair in central Kansas. We’ve served residential and commercial clients for over 20 years with our wide variety of heating and cooling services. We do installations, repairs and maintenance to meet all your HVAC needs. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment or learn more!

Categorised in: Furnace Repair

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