A furnace smell can be indicative of anything from a small problem in your home to a large one that needs to be addressed immediately. Depending on the type of smell you can get a good idea of where to investigate for problems.
Musty Odors
A musty odor is one of the most common furnace odors that encompasses the smell of many common substances like dust, dirt, and even sitting water. If you notice the smell when you’ve just turned on your furnace for the year it’s usually an indication that the ducts have accumulated some dirt and dust that is now being circulated.
This isn’t particularly good for your indoor air quality, which means that if this happens every year you should really have a professional clean your ducts before you turn on your heating system.
If you notice musty smells during regular use, it usually indicated mold. Mold can be trapped in any furnace or humidifier filter and will have contact with all the air that passes through it. If you find this problem you can clean or replace the filter.
Electrical Burning Odor
If you smell something burning it could be from something as simple as a plastic toy dropped into the ductwork. In order to get rid of the smell you will have to locate and remove the overheated item.
On the off-chance you can’t find any items in the ductwork, there could be a more serious problem. This is when you call in an HVAC technician to examine your furnace’s electrical components.
Preventing Smells
There are other less common smells as well, like oil from a clogged oil filter or smoke from a clogged chimney. If you want to prevent problems like the ones discussed here it is imperative that you stay on top of your HVAC maintenance. Some of it you can do yourself, but you should consult with an HVAC professional to determine exactly what your home needs.
If you need any help identifying or preventing furnace odors in your Los Angeles home, please contact Around the Clock Heating and Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Los Angeles, North Hollywood and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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