Stinky Heater | My Heater Smells Like It’s Burning
Sooner or later, we will need to turn our heaters on here in central Texas. It might be close to spooky season, but you don’t want to be scared when you smell funky odors emanating from your heater! Today we wanted to take the time to overview the most common causes of smells coming from your heater, whether it smells like it’s burning or it’s overall just a little stinky, as well as how to prevent these smells in the future:
Common Causes of Heater Smells
Dirty Filters
A dirty or clogged air filter is the most common cause of HVAC issues. Dirty filters can also lead to the growth of mold and mildew that can cause a musty odor in your home. Turn off your unit and inspect and replace the air filter.
Dust and Debris
Dust and debris are a common culprits of heaters smelling like they are burning. During your heater’s time off, it can accumulate dust, and when you fire up your heater for the first time, you will smell the build-up inside the unit burning off. If you let your unit run for an hour, the smell should dissipate.
Gas Leak
If your heater is powered by natural gas, a rotten egg scent may indicate a hazardous natural gas leak that should be inspected and repaired promptly. Since natural gas is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, gas utility companies add a sulfur-based chemical called mercaptan, which gives it a rotten egg-like smell, as a safety measure.
If you smell gas from your heater, leave your house immediately and contact your natural gas company and 911. Exposure to natural gas can cause nausea, fatigue, headaches, and respiratory problems.
New Furnace Chemical Odor
If you have recently installed a unit, it can smell when it is initially heated. This is its protective finish burning off. If this happens, you can let your unit run for a few hours while your house is ventilated, and the odor should disappear.
Avoid Having Your Heater Smells Like it’s Burning
Replace your Air Filters
Clean Your Outdoor Unit
Cleaning the area around your outdoor unit can help improve its overall performance. It should have at least 3 feet of clearance on all sides to operate efficiently and pull air in quickly. We recommend clearing out any debris near the outdoor unit, including leaves and branches that have gathered near the unit.
Schedule Regular Maintenance
The easiest way to avoid stinky and burning odors coming from your heater is to schedule regular maintenance with Aero DS. We recommend scheduling HVAC maintenance in the fall before the cold weather and in the spring before the summer heat.
When you have a maintenance appointment with Aero DS, your technician will clean all the necessary parts and inspect for any problems that require fixing. This helps address issues early on and prevent more costly repairs in the future. Schedule your HVAC maintenance today to help avoid a more serious issue!
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