Many US and Canadian homes are heated using a furnace. These are necessary because of the harsh winters that occupants must withstand to get through to the warmer spring and summer months. Some furnaces are decades old and continue to provide excellent service, but others show signs of age, creating a few difficulties for homeowners.
Foul odors are the best indicator of a problem. Sometimes, the problem is not serious, and other times, it must be attended to promptly. The causes of furnace odors vary from one furnace to the next.
Here’s a look at what sort of problems occur with furnaces.
Electrical Smell
An electrical smell is often caused when the furnace has been allowed to burn and overheat. The metal inside the furnace and rubber seals may be smoking, which is why an electrical smell is coming into the interior.
This type of smell is potentially hazardous and shouldn’t ever be ignored. If you have this issue with your furnace, seek professional assistance to resolve the problem quickly. Please turn off the furnace and do not use it until the technician can come to assess and solve the problem.
Smoke And Smoke Alarms
A smoke alarm alerts you to a significant issue with the furnace. There may also be real smoke visible in the home. If this is spotted, disable the furnace. A common cause of this situation is that the chimney has sustained a blockage, preventing the smoke from rising and escaping the property naturally. This causes it to leak through vents into the home instead.
A chimney cleaner is likely to fix the issue. It’s advisable to open the doors and windows to let the smoke escape and prevent the furniture, fabric, and other items from smelling smoke for weeks. If the smoke is thick, the home must be vacated because it’s dangerous to stay inside until it has dissipated entirely.
Lousy Egg Smell
A lousy egg smell is an indicator of a problem with natural gas. The gas itself has no scent, but it is treated to make it detectable so that a gas leak can be discovered before it’s too late. The rotten or bad egg smell is usually how a local gas company treats gas.
If you smell this in the home, disable the furnace right away to prevent further gas leaks. Call your gas provider to schedule a representative to come out and resolve the situation. Ask about sensible measures you can take to vent the gas safely out of your home, too.
Dust Burning
Furnaces tend to pick up quite a bit of dust, especially if they’re older or situated at lower levels, like in a basement. When not used, the dust collects in the interior. When first turning the furnace on during one of the colder months, it’s not uncommon for a burning dust smell to be detected.
This is harmless and usually disappears quickly with adequate ventilation. However, if the smell continues for more than 24 hours, an appointment for a professional to inspect the furnace is warranted, as there could be a more serious cause.
Oil Odour
When oil burns, it indicates that a filter is blocked and needs replacing. Most furnace filters should be replaced every 3-4 months, but this doesn’t usually happen, so the oil-burning smell is a common complaint.
With a dustier home, smokers living in the house, or one or more pets roaming around, the filter will likely get clogged up even faster. Swapping out the filter typically resolves the issue. If that doesn’t happen, the smell could indicate another technical problem, and service is called for.
Musty Scent
A musty scent is typical in older houses, making it challenging to detect correctly. However, with a furnace, the musty smell suggests that moisture is trapped in the furnace. Usually, this involves a pocket of the furnace that isn’t heating up right away, and it fixes itself later the same day when it does.
Should the musty smell not disappear after a couple of days, it could be that bacteria are growing from damp conditions. Given that some mold and other bacteria are harmful to breathe in, it’s a good idea to get this thoroughly checked out, especially if anyone in the home has a respiratory disease like asthma.
Staying warm in the fall and winter is essential to avoid getting sick. Your immune system cannot remain strong enough without warmth. While furnaces are found in older homes, they do need more maintenance to keep them operating efficiently and without significant difficulties.
