If you have noticed that the interior of your home has a strange odor to it, you may have traced the offending smell to your heating vents. If so, there are a couple of possible reasons why the air coming from your furnace smells funny based on the type of odor you are detecting.
1. Brief Smell of Chlorine
Even if you have not used any bleach to clean or do laundry, you may be detecting the smell of chlorine throughout your house. However, the odor may not be constant or may only be noticeable for brief moments after your furnace kicks on.
If you are smelling chlorine, this is typically characteristic of the smell of ozone that is produced when there is a surge of electricity. If your furnace has old, worn out bearings inside the motor, the motor must work harder to blow air throughout your home.
Because of this, it causes a sudden increase in electrical need, which can send a spark throughout the motor. The resulting reaction will then give off ozone, which is the odor you are smelling.
If you do notice this odor, you need to have your furnace inspected right away. Eventually, these electrical surges could melt the wires inside your furnace, causing sparks that may start a fire.
2. Overwhelming Odor Resembling a Locker Room
Another possible odor that can be emitted by your heater resembles a locker room. If you have recently cleaned your home, but your house smells like dirty socks, laundry, and stale corn chips, your furnace may be suffering from dirty sock syndrome.
With dirty sock syndrome, bacteria has grown and is overtaking the interior of your furnace. When they give off waste products, the air then smells like an old dirty locker room. Eventually, this bacteria may spread throughout your home and possibly make your or members of your family sick.
To combat this problem, you can start by changing the air filter and wiping out as much of the furnace as you can with bleach water. However, you will need professional assistance to get rid of all of the bacteria that are hidden in the nooks and crannies of the surface and ductwork.
Whether you are detecting the above odors or something different altogether, you should have your furnace looked at by a professional. Contact a heating repair service as soon as possible so that they can inspect the furnace, find the source of the odors, and discuss your options for fixing any problems so that your home's air can smell fresh once again.
Share25 February 2019
Working with HVAC contractors is an important part of being a homeowner. Not only do your contractors ensure that a new system you buy is properly installed, but they also ensure optimal performance throughout the years through a series of regular inspections, maintenance services, and repairs. But there are lots of things you can do in between your contractor's visits to ensure that your HVAC investment is always in tip top condition, aside from cleaning out the air filters. After working with my dad for more than a decade in the HVAC business, I've put together a few methods homeowners can use to maintain a well working system, and I have published those tips and tricks right here on this blog. I hope some of the information you find here helps you on your journey as a homeowner!
