Why Does my Furnace Smell Bad?

Are you concerned about why your furnace smells? Are you thinking about furnace repair in Cupertino, CA? If your heating system smells strange, do not ignore it. A peculiar odor could be the first sign of a major problem. Here are various types of smells to watch out for and when to contact a professional for heating repair:

New Furnace Smell

The smell of a new furnace is not as delightful as the new car smell. A newly installed furnace is likely to give off some unpleasant odors when you use it for the first time. But this isn’t anything to worry about. The smell usually originates from the system burning off the protective oil coating on the heat exchanger. It will take a couple of uses for the smell to wear off. And it should disappear on its own in short order.

Burning Smell

When you start up your furnace for the season you might notice a faint burning smell. This is quite common. It is just the system burning off the dust it collected during the spring and summer months. The smell should disappear after the first couple of uses.

Smokiness

Now, while a slight burning scent is common, it is not common to have the smell accompanied by smoke. Here you have a far more serious problem, especially if the odor is enough to trigger the smoke alarm. You need to shut off the power to your furnace and close the gas supply line as soon as possible. Then contact a professional HVAC technician for diagnosis and repairs.

Melting Plastic Scent

Have you ever noticed the smell of overheated plastic, rubber, or metal emitting from your furnace? This means one or more of the furnace components is in distress. This type of overheating could cause a house fire. So shut off your heating system and immediately call for repairs.

Rotten Eggs

The rotten smell should immediately send up a red flag. Gas companies add a smell to natural gas so that leaks are readily detectable. If you notice this type of odor coming from the furnace it can be dangerous to stay inside. Consider going to a neighbor and contacting the gas company or HVAC company and do not return until you get the all-clear.

Oily Aroma

Does your furnace smell like burning oil? This could be one of two things. First, the air filter might be clogged which restricts airflow and causes the furnace to work overtime. You can try replacing the filter to see if the smell dissipates. Second, the furnace might be leaking oil and you need to call a technician.

Musty Odor

A musty smell coming from the ductwork usually indicates rot, mold, or mildew. The problem can be locating the cause of the smell. Is the mold located on the air conditioner coil? Or is it trapped inside the ducts somewhere? Either way, mold can impact air quality and be dangerous to your health if you do not resolve the problem.

Chemical Smell

Does your furnace smell like formaldehyde? If your furnace is emitting a chemical odor accompanied by a rattling sound it could be from a cracked heat exchanger. This furnace problem can result in fire. Get everyone out of the house and call for repairs.

If you notice any of these disturbing smells emitting from your furnace you need to call for furnace repair in Cupertino, CA. Contact Pelle Heating & Air Conditioning for the job.