If you notice a strange odor coming from your Conway, AR, furnace, it could be a sign of a serious problem. Here are some of the smells that your furnace should never produce.
The Odor of Rotten Eggs
The smell of rotten eggs from your furnace is a serious cause for alarm. The smell comes from chemicals added to natural gas as a safety precaution. The distinctive odor of rotten eggs is an indication of a gas leak.
If you notice the smell of rotten eggs, open the windows, evacuate and call a professional technician. Natural gas is dangerous, and you should never try to find the source by yourself.
Electrical Burning Smell
If you smell an odor similar to hot metal or overheated iron from your heating system, it means a malfunctioning or broken component. If the smell is coming through the vents when the furnace is on, it could be a problem with the blower motor. Ignoring the smell could lead to overheating or a fire.
When the furnace overheats, it causes wires to melt and damages other parts of your heating system. Contact a qualified technician for heating system repairs.
Chemical Odor From Your Furnace
A formaldehyde smell could indicate a cracked heat exchanger. The heat exchanger transfers heat to the furnace from the combustion chamber. If it has cracks, dangerous but odorless carbon monoxide could escape into your house, lower your indoor air quality and make household members sick.
If you suspect a cracked heat exchanger, contact a professional to inspect your unit. And if you have a gas or oil furnace, you need to invest in a carbon monoxide detector to keep your family safe.
Burning Dust Within Furnace
It is common to notice the smell of burning dust at the beginning of the heating season. The dust settles in your system when it is not in use. However, if the smell continues, consider changing your heating system filters.
Changing the filters should eradicate the smell, but if it doesn’t, then you may have a serious problem. Immediately shut down the system and contact your technician.
Smoke
If your furnace produces a smokey smell, immediately turn it off and open the windows. The smell occurs when the heating system flue pipe gets blocked.
Proper maintenance can mitigate most heating system problems. Do not let your furnace experience major issues and end up damaged. Contact Freyaldenhoven Heating and Cooling for proper HVAC system maintenance.
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