Welcome furnace fans to another exciting episode of “Is This Smell OK Or Not?” brought to you by your friends at Weather Master Heating and Air Conditioning!
I’m your host, HVAC Hank, and today we’re playing everyone’s favorite game where we determine if that funky furnace smell you noticed is normal or a cause for concern.
Our first smelly situation comes to us from Sally in Raleigh. Sally writes, “When I turned on my furnace for the first time this fall, I noticed a slight burning smell coming from the vents. Is this smell ok or not?”
Well, Sally, a slight burning smell when you first fire up your furnace is actually very common and nothing to worry about! This is the result of dust or lint burning off after having settled in the furnace during the summer months. As long as the smell goes away after a few minutes, there’s nothing wrong. This slight burn-off smell is nothing to be alarmed about and is OK!
Our next question comes from Mike in Cary who asks, “I switched my thermostat to heat mode and was met with a strong gas-like odor through the vents. This can’t be good, right?”
Oh no, that gasoline smell is definitely NOT OK, Mike! This suggests there could be a serious issue like a crack in the heat exchanger causing dangerous carbon monoxide to leak into your home. Don’t run your furnace again until a professional can inspect it for leaks. Safety first!
OK, next up we have Laura from Durham. Laura’s furnace kicked on and she smelled a rotten egg odor. What do you think? Is this smell ok or not?
I’m afraid that rotten egg smell signals trouble, Laura. It likely means there is a problem with your furnace’s pilot light allowing gas to build up and then ignite. This is NOT OK! Shut down the furnace and call your technician right away before carbon monoxide builds up or you have an explosion risk. Better safe than sorry with that yucky egg smell!
Well, that’s all the smelly situations we have time for today, furnace fans. Thanks for playing “Is This Smell OK Or Not?” and remember to contact the experts at Weather Master Heating and Air Conditioning if you ever notice an alarming odor coming from your furnace. Stay safe and stay warm! Contact us online or call us at (919) 853-7910.