Winter is here, and families in Cape Charles, VA are pushing their furnaces to the limit to keep the house warm and toasty, but sometimes, those furnaces can emit strange odors. It might be nothing to worry about, but it might also be a sign of a serious problem. Read on to learn about some possible reasons why your furnace smells so bad this winter.
Heating Elements Are Burning Off Dust
When you fire up the furnace for the first time after not using it for months on end, it will often smell like burning dust. This is perfectly normal, as dust accumulates on the heating elements during the spring and summer when your furnace is not in use. That dust layer will burn off before long and the smell will go away.
Electrical Components Are Burning Out
If you smell something like burning rubber or melting plastic when you turn on the heater, there could be an electrical component burning out. Alternatively, there could be an electrical wire touching a heating element and the plastic coating around the wire is melting. Shut off the heater to prevent further damage and call us for furnace repairs.
You Might Have a Gas Leak
If you have an odor in your home that smells like rotten eggs, sulfur, or sewage, you may have a gas leak. Natural gas itself is odorless, but it has a chemical added to it that produces a foul smell so that folks will know they have a leak. Don’t use your furnace until you can get the gas company out there to check it out.
Bad odors coming from your furnace could be a sign of trouble. If your old furnace needs replacing, contact us at Absolute Comfort Heating & Cooling, Inc. to get a quote. We’ll get your home warmed up again as soon as possible.
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