Furnace smells can bring your attention to some very serious issues your furnace may be having. Not addressing the furnace smells can even be as serious as death if not addressed appropriately. Our guide below will let you know what some different smells may mean and help keep you safe should you experience any of these furnace smells.
Galmiche & Sons wants to ensure your safety. Heating & air conditioning systems are complicated systems that take professional services to maintain for optimal and safe performance. If you have any doubt about the safety of your system, please contact us immediately for an assessment.
Furnace Smells Not to Be Ignored
While it is normal to smell a slight odor when first turning your furnace on for the season, if you smell anything amiss coming from your furnace after the first day it is important to turn it off and contact a professional immediately. Emergency services may even need to be called in. Odd furnace smells are signs that something is not working properly and it is better to be safe than sorry and take extreme caution.
- Rotten Eggs – This furnace smell is absolutely not to be ignored. Utility and gas companies put odorous substances in normally odorless natural gas so it is jarring to smell. Therefore, if you smell rotten eggs it could indicate a natural gas leak, which is very dangerous. If you smell rotten eggs, call emergency services immediately and evacuate the area.
- Chemical Smells – A metallic smell could indicate a mechanical failure of a part, or a formaldehyde smell from your furnace may be a sign of a broken heat exchanger. Both could be very dangerous but the heat exchanger is especially dangerous. If the heat exchanger is not working properly then poisonous carbon monoxide could get into the duct work and this could result in death.
- Burning Metal, Burning Oil, Hot Plastic, Or Melting Rubber Smell – A furnace odor similar to any of these materials burning or melting may suggest a mechanical malfunction, which can cause parts to overheat. The excessive heat could then melt components or become a fire hazard.
What Should Be Done About These Furnace Smells
Any smell, even one we have not listed, is an indication that something is not right and should be addressed as quickly as possible. For some common smells, take the following steps to ensure safety of your home and family.
- If you smell rotten eggs, evacuate your home immediately. Then, call emergency services and your utility company to come out for an assessment.
- If you have a chemical furnace smell, turn off the furnace and call Galmiche & Sons to come take a look. Check your carbon monoxide detector for any indication of the poisonous gas. If there is no indication then monitor the situation. If there is an indication, open your windows to let the gas out and then evacuate your home.
- If metal or burning smells are present, turn off the furnace and call us to come out for HVAC maintenance. Monitor the furnace until the technician gets there to ensure nothing catches on fire.
Call Us Immediately If You Experience Any of These Furnace Smells
The smells listed in this article are not an all-inclusive list. Any odd furnace smell is a sign that your furnace is not working as it should. In the St. Louis area, please err on the side of caution and call us to come inspect your heating & air conditioning system.
