Why does my Furnace Smell?

Burning Dust

If your furnace smells like burning dust, there is a good chance that the cause of the smell is that your furnace has been sucking up too much dust. The more dust in a home’s air, the more likely it is that a furnace will smell when running. If you recently renovated your home, all the dust and debris that was made while you were making improvements have now made their way into your home’s air ducts, and into your furnace’s filters. Even if you haven’t been working on a home improvement project, the dust and debris that your home naturally produces over time still finds their ways to your home’s ducts, vents, and filters. If you’ve recently turned your home’s furnace on again in preparation for the winter and notice a burning or otherwise nasty smell, it could be because your furnace is now warming and pushing air through your home that has passed through all the dirt and debris currently clogging it’s filters. After an entire spring and summer without this smell, and nothing to push air through the filter, dirt and debris will build up. When you turn your furnace on again, it will suddenly have to push air through all that dirt and debris. The sudden buildup of pressure in the ducts can cause dust and dirt particles to be blown out of vents or filters, and might produce some weird smells in the process. If you to learn more about Furnace Cleaning in Hinckley MN, reach out to True North Heating & Air today for help today.

Dirty Air Filters

One of the most common causes of bad smells in a house is dirty air filters. When you turn your furnace on in the fall, it must first warm all that cold air that has been sitting around outside through your ductwork before it is blown into your home. When the air is warmed up, it will start to get dirty. The dirt and debris that has been sitting in your ductwork all summer can finally be blown into your home. When this occurs, you may notice a funny odor coming from the vents. In addition, filters that you might have noticed smells from before may also be dirty. If you notice a funny odor coming from your vents, check to see if your filter is dirty or needs to be changed out. You can purchase new filters at most hardware stores or home improvement centers. To have them installed, you can reach out to a professional duct cleaning company. You can also install them yourself if you have the right tools and know-how. If your filter is dirty, you will want to replace it as soon as possible. The longer your filter sits in place, the more dust and debris will be blown into your home when the furnace is turned on again.

Moldy Ductwork

If you notice a burning smell coming from your vents after turning on the furnace, it may be because some of your ductwork has become moldy. This can happen if you don’t have air conditioning in your home and use a humidifier instead. When this happens, bacteria grows inside the ducts that causes them to rot away over time. If you have a moldy duct system, it’s important that you have it cleaned and sanitized. This is because the bacteria found in mold can cause respiratory problems for anyone who breathes in the air around it. Once mold is found in your ducts, it’s possible that it has spread to other parts of your home through the vent system, making it even more important that you get it taken care of as soon as possible.

Sulfur in the natural gas supply

If you smell an odor of rotten eggs or sulfur when using your natural gas appliances, it’s possible that you have a gas leak. You should immediately call your utility company to come out and perform an inspection on your home’s natural gas supply line. If you smell an odor of rotten eggs or sulfur when using your natural gas appliances, it’s possible that you have a gas leak. You should immediately call your utility company to come out and perform an inspection on your home’s natural gas supply line. If a gas leak is found, the utility company will repair it for free.

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