So the cold winter temperatures are already beginning to set in and you had no choice but to turn on your furnace for the first time this season. But when you turned on the furnace, you found yourself wondering what is that strange smell coming from my furnace? If you have turned on your furnace for the first time this season and have noticed unusual furnace smells, don’t fret. Here at Hometown Comfort we fully understand your concern and even the fear you may have not knowing exactly what those furnace smells are. Is it the start of a complex problem?
With that said we have listed here some of the main causes of furnace smells and what you want to do should you experience any of them. We want all our valued clients to be aware that there is a variety of smells that come out of your heating system and furnace, especially when you turn it on for the first time in the cold temperatures. Whenever there is a furnace smell, there is typically some type of a problem – some problems simple, with other problems being complex. Whatever the circumstance may be, it is important to determine the source in order to have expert technicians, like those here at Hometown Comfort, take whatever steps are necessary to avert any serious and costly repairs or heating issues.
COMMON CAUSES OF FURNACE SMELLS
There are a variety of reasons your furnace smells, including the following:
Dust
– This is a very common and minor issue. It is very normal to have somewhat of a dusty smell when you turn on your furnace for the first time each and every year since dust will collect on the furnace air filter when it is not in use. This furnace smell will definitely burn off quickly. No need to fret.
Must
– This is yet another minor and common issue. If there is any type of mold at all on the air filter it will definitely cause a musty smell when you turn the furnace on. This problem will not resolve itself, however. It is necessary for you to either wash your filter and dry it completely or change and install a new air filter.
Smoke
– If you notice a smoke smell this typically is a sign of a major issue that should be addressed immediately. If you have a chimney that is blocked it will cause smoke to flow through the duct work. We would suggest that you have your chimney inspected and cleaned right away by a chimney professional.
Electrical
– If there is an electrical smell present when you turn the furnace on this is an indication of a major problem. More than likely you have a burned out motor, frayed wiring, or other electrical parts that are malfunctioning. Contact the expert emergency technicians here at Hometown Comfort to perform an inspection of your furnace immediately.
Oil
– An oil smell can be either a minor or a major issue. If a filter is clogged it can cause an oil smell which is a rather simple and minor issue. In order to resolve this issue, simply change the filter which will alleviate the furnace smell. If, however, you continue to notice the smell of oil, then again give a call out to our professional HVAC technicians so we can check for an oil leak which can ultimately turn into a serious and costly problem.
Sulfur
– If you detect the smell of sulfur when you turn your furnace on, this is surely a more serious problem. This sulfur smell is caused when there is a leak in your furnace or in your main line and may very well result in an explosion if it is not attended to immediately.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR EVERY MINOR OR MAJOR PROBLEM
Whether you have a simple or a complex problem with your furnace or a minor or major furnace smell, it is important you obtain the professional services of our technicians as soon as possible. The simpler issues described above have easy to accomplish quick fixes. However, the more complex issues can ultimately lead to more serious and costly problems and should be addressed immediately in order to maintain the health and safety of your family.
Contact the teams here at Hometown Comfort to check out and evaluate the various smells coming from your furnace. We are all about our clients and pride ourselves on taking whatever steps are necessary to educate our customers about all types of HVAC issues and to keeping their family comfortable, safe and healthy all year round.
