5 Alarming Smells That Can Come From Your Midland, NC Furnace

You never want to smell strange odors coming from the vents of your Midland, NC, HVAC system. Learn about the five most common smells that you might notice coming from your furnace and what to do about them.

Burnt Dust From Furnace

You may smell a slight burning odor the first time you turn the furnace on at the beginning of winter. This is typically from dust the furnace accumulates in warm weather, when it’s not in use. The issue will usually clear up on its own after the furnace cycles a few times.

Oil Odors

An oil smell could indicate an oil leak from somewhere within the system. You might also notice this odor if you’re dealing with a malfunctioning or dirty burner. This is the time to call in your HVAC technician for a heating repair appointment so that they can figure out what’s causing this harmful odor.

Rotten Eggs

You have an extremely dangerous situation if you’re smelling a rotten egg odor. Methyl mercaptan is an organic compound that manufacturers add to naturally odorless gases such as propane and natural gas. They add this so that it’s easier to detect gas leaks.

If you’re smelling rotten eggs, then you know you have a gas leak somewhere. Shut off your furnace immediately if the smell enters your home after you turn the appliance on, and go outside.

Your next step is to call the fire department or gas company so that they can find out where the problem started. Finally, call out an HVAC technician if the source of the gas leak proves to be within the furnace.

Metallic Odors From Furnace

A short inside your furnace’s electrical wiring emits a metallic smell or burning plastic as the coating burns. If you notice an odor like this, shut the unit off immediately, and have your HVAC technician service it before you risk an electrical fire or shock.

Are you noticing any of these alarming odors coming from your furnace? Contact one of our friendly Dulin Mechanical Services representatives so that we can schedule your next HVAC maintenance appointment.

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