When it comes to knowing when there is a problem in your home you can use many of your senses to determine something is amiss. You can hear a sound that is not normal and brings up some concerns. You can see an item that is out of place or not functioning right that raises the alarm. When you touch something that is hot or cold when it shouldn’t be example, you can tell there is an issue that will need to be addressed. Lastly when you walk in your home and smell something that is off you know there is trouble that will need your attention. One thing that should not have an odor and if it does should tell you that there is a problem is your furnace. Your forced air furnace is a part of the HVAC system that you likely use to warm the house on days that it is cold outside. If you are using your furnace and you start to smell something that is not normal it is a good idea to know what it could be and if you need to worry. Agape Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing outlines what smells mean coming from your furnace.
Furnace Smells Like Sewer
When it comes to odors that you want to be alarmed about the smell of rotten eggs or sulfur is at the top of the list. This is a smell that you do not ever want to have in your house because it is a sign that you have a gas leak. Natural gas is used often in heating elements from boilers to furnaces. The gas line is plumbed into the house and then a flame lights up the gas and ignites it to create the heat that is needed to warm the house. When you smell rotten eggs or sulfur it means that the gas is not being burned out and is leaking in the house. This is very dangerous and can be problematic to your health. If you do not take it seriously it can even lead to death. It is best to call a professional right away and turn off the gas to the house. You also want to air the house out and go outside to fresh air as well.
Burning Smell from Furnace Vent
One of the other smells that you might have in your house from the heater is electrical burning. This is usually a sharp electrical smell that you might notice when you are using the heater a lot. The most common reason that this is happening is that the motor is heating up from use and this is causing the smell. If you are concerned you can shut the heater off for a few minutes to give it a chance to cool down. Then call a professional to ensure that you have the unit set up right.
Dirty Sock Syndrome
Another smell that you might have in your home that is coming from your heater is the smell of a dirty set of socks of the locker room. The odor is coming and can be irritable but is not necessarily dangerous. It can become dangerous if it is not taken care of. The odor is because the coils are going through cold and heat and that will create condensation. This is the perfect storm that will cause bacteria to grow and that is what is causing the smell to occur.
Furnace Heating Repair in Bedford Hills, Manhattan, Flushing, Queens, Brooklyn & The Bronx, New York
Agape Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing can come out to repair your furnace if you smell something bad. Call us today!