What Should I Do If My Furnace Creates A Burning Smell?

Furnaces are the lifeline of every household. It keeps every family member warm and comfortable throughout the holiday season. However, if you ever find your house or room smelling funny when you switch the furnace on, you need to get in touch with your professional. But there are a few things that you can do before calling a technician;

  • Listen carefully for any rattling or clicking noises from inside the furnace.
  • Check all the ductwork around your house to make sure that there is no leakage.
  • Observe the carbon monoxide chemical levels through the day, whether there is a change after or before you switch on the furnace

What Does a Normal Furnace Smell Like?


A normal furnace smells like nothing. But your house can stink because of dead rodents. These unfortunate beings try to dig inside insulation or duct works and die as soon as the system is switched on. Besides this foul smell, a furnace should not stink under any circumstances.

If you have installed a new furnace, it might smell like a brand new product as it is supposed to, which you will eventually get used to with time. Old furnaces might have mold grown all over them. Instead of compromising on your indoor air quality, either get all the mold growth removed with the help of a professional expert or replace the unit if the mold has successfully decomposed all over metallic components.

Causes of Burning Odors


If you feel like something is burning inside your unit, you need furnace service battleground WA. While some are fatal, some can be simply overheating.

  • Overheated blower motor: Due to duct blockages, or an unclean air filter that has been untouched for years now, your furnace might be facing improper air fluctuations in many areas. This creates a burning smell. When the airflow is inadequate, it can close vents all by itself and stress out the blower motor. This damages not only heat exchangers but also safety hazard sensors.
  • Air filters: It is always recommended that homeowners either clean their air filters every month or replace them half-yearly, depending on the amount of usage. If you have pets or children, you must perform regular tune-ups to keep your filters from getting clogged, which smell like burning paper or fabric.
  • Wires: Wires are as scary as they sound. They can cause an electrical short circuit, which can be heavy on your pocket as well as domestic comfort. Power surges result in damaged thermostats or electrical connections. This is the indirect effect of a wiring issue. Then the protective insulation cover melts off from the wires, sparks a fire, and burns plastics and all the connectors. If you ever are in a situation where you can smell burning wires, leave the house immediately.

Heater Solutions


The only way to fix a furnace that smells like something is burning is by contacting heating repair battleground WA. At Advantage Heating And Cooling, we provide you with a financing and maintenance plan so that you never face such a situation ever again.

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