If you notice odd smells coming from your home’s furnace in Florence, KY, it’s trying to tell you something. When running at its best, your furnace shouldn’t emit any sort of odor at all. Learn more about some of the most common furnace odors.
Rotten Eggs or Sulfur
You should never ignore this odor, even if it’s weak, because it could mean a gas leak. Your local utility company adds this smell because natural gas is odorless. The stronger the smell, the more likely you have a dangerous, substantial gas leak.
Burning Smell
At the beginning of the heating season, most homeowners notice a burning smell coming from their vents the first few times the furnace operates. Accumulated dust burns off when this occurs, so you have no cause to worry. If you keep noticing this smell or if it suddenly recurs, your system may have an overheating component and require heating repair.
Car Exhaust Odor
If your home smells like car exhaust, this usually indicates you have a problem with the furnace’s venting. Gas furnaces use a pipe to get rid of exhaust created during combustion. The pipe could have loosened or become obstructed due to bird or pest nests, forcing exhaust back into your home.
Musty Smell
If your indoor air smells musty during operation, you most likely have accumulated dust, dirt and other microorganisms in your ductwork that blow through your home during operation. Over time, these organisms keep growing and can even cause ductwork blockage. Schedule ductwork cleaning to remedy the situation.
Burning Plastic Smell
Odors resembling burning plastic or rubber could indicate an electrical problem. This situation can occur if the plastic casing covering wires begins to melt. Turn off your furnace immediately and call for emergency service.
Make sure that your furnace is ready to keep you warm all winter long. If you believe you need furnace repair, maintenance or installation in Florence, KY, call Western Hills Heating & Air Conditioning to schedule one of our heating services.
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