The furnace in your home plays a critical role to keeping you comfortable and safe throughout the winter season. The last issue you want to encounter is strange odors near your heating system. These odors can be a sign of real danger in your house. To help you keep your family safe, we have created an outline of issues that can cause your furnace to produce a strong burning smell in your house.
4 Types Of Furnace Odors and Ways to Respond
1. Electrical Burning
The source of an electrical burning smell in your furnace may be overheated metal components. When certain parts of your heating system overheat, the wires inside your unit can get singed and produce strange odors. Since this problem can result in your unit shutting down or even a fire, you should have your heating system inspected by a professional.
2. Smoke
There are a few reasons your furnace may be producing a burning smell near the vents in your house. If your system is in your basement near storage boxes, some items could end up too close to the furnace and could melt or get burned. In addition, smoke smells can also be caused by improper oil ignition or a slight oil spill. If these smells persist, call your trusted HVAC technician for help.
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3. Rotten Eggs
A rotten egg or sulfur smell near your furnace is almost always a sign of a gas issue. If you think your natural gas furnace has a potential gas leak, you should call an HVAC technician to inspect it right away. Not only can gas leaks cause dangerous fires, but breathing in the gas can result in serious health issues.
4. Dirty Socks
If you’ve ever played a sport, you know how dingy and musty a locker room can smell. If you’re getting that same smell from your heating system, it could be because there is bacteria buildup on your heating coils. This is typically caused by the coils changing different temperatures during fall and spring, allowing bacteria to grow. Luckily, this can usually be fixed by giving your system a good cleaning to remove any bacteria and other debris.
Furnace Repair & Replacement Services
If you’re not sure what is causing the odd smells from your furnace, give our team a call at (770) 852-8504 to book an appointment. Our team of technicians provide exceptional heating repair services in Athens, GA and other areas. Our professionals offer a variety of HVAC solutions such as furnace furnace repair, heat pump system maintenance, furnace replacement, and mini-split system installation. Not only are we fully licensed, bonded, and insured to perform any heating repairs, we also have over three decades of experience under our belts. This allows us to repair your system quickly and leave you with long-lasting results.