‘My Heater Smells Like Burning Plastic!’ Classic Heater Smells Decoded and What to Do About It
You’ve turned on your heater after months of disuse and your nose is met with a foul stench. Should you worry and immediately call a heating technician? Maybe. Some smells are normal – and some definitely justify attention. If your heater smells like burning dust, plastic, or worse, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn about five common heater smells, what is likely causing them, and the steps you should take to ensure the longevity of your unit.
Dust – The smell of burning dust is almost inevitable when you first switch on your furnace every fall. A charred dusty smell makes sense when you think about all the dust that has settled on the heat exchanger and burner after months of non-operation. The smell should go away after a few hours and should not be problematic. However, if the odor continues to persist, change the air filter.
Plastic – If your heater smells like burning plastic, the odor will quickly become intolerable. This smell likely means that a foreign object, such as a toy or a humidifier nozzle, has become lodged in the furnace and has been slowly baking away. Now that you can smell it, the plastic is emitting fumes that may not be safe to breathe.
Immediately shut off your furnace if you smell burning plastic and attempt to locate the object. If you can’t find the culprit in either the furnace or ductwork, call a technician for assistance.
Smoke or Oil – You may smell smoke or oil if you have an oil furnace. If you can smell either odor, you can bet you have a problem. First, try turning off the heater and replacing the oil filter. If the smell doesn’t dissipate, call an HVAC technician ASAP.
Electric Burning – You may detect a whiff that contains an electrical burning smell. This could point to an overheated blower motor. Usually, a furnace will shut itself if it begins to overheat. However, if the safety feature is malfunctioning, the furnace could continue to burn until it becomes dangerously hot, eliciting the smell.
A clogged air filter could also produce a similar odor. Try replacing the filter. If the problem is not abated, call an HVAC professional for help.
Gunpowder – When your heater smells like burning gunpowder, you know you have an issue. A specific gunpowder scent may mean that you have a fried circuit board of fan motor. If you smell this odor, immediately turn off your furnace and call a technician to perform an emergency inspection. You wouldn’t want to be one step away from a furnace malfunction that could be both dangerous and costly.
Clearly, smells other than dust rarely indicate that your furnace is humming along like it should. If your heater smells like burning dust, smoke, or anything unusual, do not hesitate to call Gorman Mechanical at (817) 238-1616 for our emergency repair service. For more information about HVAC repairs and installations, visit our website.
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I met with Gorman Mechanical’s Sales Manager. When he came out I had a bad taste in my mouth due to some misrepresentations made by another company that happened to be A rated on Angie’s List. Because of this I’m certain I was on the defensive and asked a million questions. He was very patient and took plenty of time answering all my questions. He was very knowledgeable and helped educate me on my options and the advantages/shortfalls of each. When I came to the actual bid, I felt it was very competitive compared to other bids I’d received. I felt so well informed and confident at that point I cancelled two other appointments I’d made for that day and signed up with Gorman Mechanical. He was able to promptly arrange a great deal on financing the bulk of the cost, leaving me to pay out of pocket for a couple last minute additions (extended warranty/Reme Halo). They did not want this until installation was complete. A couple days later they installed my new system and I’ve been very happy with it. Shortly after installation I had several other questions about maintenance and a small amount that was overcharged upon installation. He was very responsive answering my questions and arranging for a prompt refund check to be sent. Fortunately, it isn’t often that I need to spend so much money on an important purchase like this, but I felt very confident with my decision and going through the process with him and Gorman Mechanical made it painless. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Gorman Mechanical to friends and family.
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