Your furnace should last for several years, especially if you schedule routine maintenance with an Alton, IL heating contractor. Your HVAC system, including your furnace, typically operates without any odors or smells. However, there are times when your furnace might emit certain smells. Knowing what smells you need to be concerned about and what smells are normal is important.
Smells that can indicate furnace problems
Odors that can indicate you need to contact a heating repair company include:- Rotten Egg Smell — If you have a gas furnace and smell rotten eggs, you need to act quickly. A rotten egg smell indicates that you have a gas leak. Gas companies put an additive into the fuel to make it smell like rotten eggs because gas does not have an odor or color. If you smell rotten eggs, evacuate your home and call the utility company for help.
- Electrical or Metallic Odors — If the electrical elements or other components of the furnace become too hot, you might smell an electrical or metallic odor as the furnace overheats. Shut the furnace off and unplug it immediately. Call an Alton, IL furnace repair company for help.
- Chemical Smells — A chemical smell could indicate that you have a crack in the heat exchanger in your furnace. If this heating problem is not repaired, it can increase the risk of fire and increase carbon monoxide throughout your home. Call our heating company immediately for a heating repair expert.
Furnace odors that are usually harmless
Some odors are normal and typically harmless. However, if the odors do not go away, you should contact a heating repair company for service.- Dusty or Burning Smell — When you first turn your furnace on in the fall, you might notice a dusty or burning odor. In most cases, this odor is normal and will stop after the dust inside the system is blown away. However, if the smell continues, try changing the air filter to see if that helps. If not, call a heating company to have an HVAC technician inspect your system.
- Oil — An oil smell may mean the furnace filter has become clogged. Changing the filter should get rid of the smell. However, if the smell continues, call our office for service.
- Moldy or Musty Smell — A moldy or musty smell could indicate excess dampness in the system. As with the dusty smell, the musty smell should dissipate in a few days. If the odor continues, you need a heating contractor to inspect the furnace system for mold.
