As winter temperatures in Texas continue to lower, you will have to turn on your heater to make sure it works fine. However, you may notice a strange smell coming from your furnace when you first turn it on for the season. Don’t be alarmed!
If you come across your heater smelling, don’t worry! Air Tech of Pasadena is here to break things down on why it smells, whether certain smells are normal or dangerous. We’ll also tell you what to do to prevent the smell in the future!
What’s Causing The Smell?
Dirty Filters and Air Vents
Not changing the filter or cleaning the air vents may result in an unpleasant musty smell from your furnace. You should make sure to change the air filter every month to prevent the buildup of dust and dirt. Cleaned air vents can also prevent mildew and mold from growing inside your heater or ductwork.
Dust on Furnace
If you haven’t scheduled professional, seasonal HVAC maintenance, there will be a buildup of dust. Also, depending on where you live, some areas don’t use the furnace as often as other areas. Dust collects from months of no usage. When it’s time to use the furnace, the dust starts to burn which results in the unpleasant burning smell.
This is why it is important that you, or a professional, inspect your furnace to find out the level of dust that may have collected in the last season. After that, turn on the heater to see if the smell will leave or not. If it continues, contact Air Tech of Pasadena to get one of our friendly HVAC technicians to check on your heating system.
Heating System Has Trapped Debris
While you’re inspecting the system for the dust buildup, you can also check if there’s any debris trapped. It may be that while you haven’t used the system, something could have fallen out. When you turn on the heater, you can smell it. If you have many vents going from room to room, try to pinpoint where the smell is coming from.
Once you figure out where the smell is coming from, you can try to see what’s causing the smell. It may be some toys, a part of the heating system or an object that’s causing the smell. Don’t try to reach into the vents yourself, as they can be fragile and you risk breaking your home’s vents. Instead, call on a professional heater repair team to inspect and remove any foreign objects that are causing an unpleasant smell in your system.
Electrical Wirings Damaged
If you smell something like electrical burning, it could be the electrical wiring. In which case, you could have a serious electrical problem on your hands. It’s possible that it can be general wear over time or a technician has installed it incorrectly.
- If damaged, it can cause these problems:
- Cracked heat exchange
- Blower motor overheating
- Tripping circuit breakers
- Thermostat not responding to the system
If you come across these problems and the smell of something burning, it’s time to call the HVAC professionals. The professional will replace the wiring and make sure it is installed correctly. They’ll also do other furnace repairs that are needed.
If the smell continues, contact Air Tech of Pasadena. We offer Pasadena heater services and other repairs!
