Cold winter temperatures and falling snow are driving Shelbyville, KY homeowners and their families back indoors where it’s nice and warm. But are hideous odors coming from your furnace whenever you turn it on? Keep reading to learn what might be causing your furnace to make your home smell bad this winter.
Smells Like Burning Dust
When firing up the furnace in the fall or winter for the first time in months, it’s not uncommon to smell burning dust coming from your vents. This is just the heater burning off the thin layer of dust that has accumulated over the warmer months when you weren’t using your furnace. The smell will usually burn off and go away in less than a day.
Smells Like Melting Plastic
If your furnace is giving off a bad odor that smells like burning rubber or burning plastic, that’s not a good sign. The wiring could be damaged, and that can create a fire hazard. So shut your furnace off and contact us right away to diagnose and fix the problem.
Smells Like Rotten Eggs
Another serious problem that might signal the need for heating system repairs is a smell like rotten eggs, sulfur, or sewage. This could be a sign that you have a gas leak or unsafe levels of carbon monoxide. As above, you should shut the unit off and call for furnace repairs.
Smells Like Something Died in There
If it smells like something died down inside your ductwork whenever you turn it on, the problem might actually be that something died in there. It’s not uncommon for rats and other pests to crawl into the ductwork and crawl spaces in the depths of your home to escape the cold outside. And sometimes those vermin die inside your ductwork and start stinking up the place.
If bad odors are coming from your furnace whenever you turn it on, we can help. Contact us at Elder Heating and Air to come for an inspection to determine the source of the odors or to sign up for our annual maintenance plan. We can keep your central HVAC system running smoothly all year long and spot potential HVAC problems before they get out of control.
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