Did you turn on your furnace recently and found that it has a horrible smell and you don’t know what’s causing it?

The good news is that most furnace smells can easily be identified, especially if the furnace hasn’t been used for some time.

In this article, we will provide you with a list of possible smells that you can use to identify what’s causing the smell and how you can fix or resolve this problem.

Most Common Reasons Why Your Furnace Smells

#1 – Dust

Yes, it’s true, dust is one of the most common reasons why most furnaces smell when you turn them on.

This especially happens in Southern California because here we only use our furnaces for maybe 3-4 months out of the year.

Thankfully, a dusty smell is the easiest to diagnose because any dust which accumulated on your furnace will burn off a short time after you turn it on.

#2 – Must

Does your furnace have a musty smell when you turn it on? This could be due to your air filter needing to be cleaned or replaced.

#3 – Oil Smell

Oil smells are also very common for some furnaces when they are turned on after months of inactivity.

If your furnace has an oil smell you should change the air filter immediately. If the problem persists, the next thing you should do is call Air Care Heating & Air Conditioning to come and check for a possible oil leak in your furnace.

#4 – Smoke Smell

A Smokey smell is most often caused by a chimney which has become blocked after prolonged usage. To avoid this happening to you it’s best to have your chimney professionally cleaned just so you can verify that it’s functioning normally.

#5 – Electrical Smell

If your furnace has an electrical smell during usage it’s best to turn it off immediately and call your Southern California furnace repair company because, this could be a sign of a burned-out motor, frayed wiring, or worse.

#6 – Sulfur / Gas

Last of all, but most important, if you smell sulfur or gas after turning your furnace on it’s best to turn it off immediately because this is an indication of a possible gas leak which could lead to an explosion.

Learn More

To learn more reasons for why your furnace has a weird smell, or for a furnace repair quote, contact Air Care Heating & Air Conditioning today by calling us at (949) 482-2911or connect with us online.