4 Odors You Don’t Want to Smell Coming From Your Furnace

Whether your furnace uses gas, oil or electricity to heat your home in Round Rock, TX, it’s bound to emit some odors now and then. For example, at the start of winter, your furnace might burn off some of the dust inside it, letting out a musty odor that’s faint and short-lived. Persistent odors, though, especially the following four, should alert you to a problem with the furnace.

1. Sewer Smell

Your vents should not smell like a sewer; if they do, then you’ll want to call over a technician to inspect the system because the problem may just lie in one of the furnace’s interior components. For instance, the heat exchanger, which uses gas or fuel to transfer heat, may have a crack in it.

2. The Odor of Sulfur from Furnace

If you own a gas furnace, then know that you may be facing a gas leak if you smell sulfur (“rotten eggs”). Natural gas actually has no odor, but gas companies add a chemical to it to give it a smell. You’ll want to schedule a furnace repair right away if you smell sulfur.

3. Smoky Smell

Objects may get in the way of the furnace’s pilot light and burn, creating smoke. As for oil furnaces, they may produce the smell of burning oil when there’s spillage.

4. The Smell of Burning Plastic

This indicates that some plastic component, possibly the plastic casing on your electrical wires, is burning. This, in turn, may point to an electrical malfunction in the system. If your system has shorted out, then you’ll know that this caused it.

Request a Free Estimate

With proper maintenance, your furnace can provide years of efficient heating. Contact us at Del’s Heating & Air Conditioning today to schedule a maintenance appointment in Round Rock, TX. We have BBB accreditation and a team of NATE-certified technicians.

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