Why Does My Furnace Smell Weird in Lone Mountain Village, NV like Burning Dust, Mold & More?

An essential part of your home’s HVAC system is the furnace. Using the same blower motor, over the winter it helps keep you warm and during the summer it distributes cold air. Being bound to pop up, it makes sense that with all this wear a smell or two. However, not all smells are created equal. While others are a sign for concern, some are perfectly normal. Today, we at Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning would like to share the most common strange furnace smells and what they likely mean.

What Does a Bad Furnace Smell Like?

Plastic or Strong Metallic Smell. To withstand a ridiculous amount of heat, the parts of a furnace are specifically designed. However, despite their function, some parts can get old and begin to fail or overheat. It could be an indicator that a part in your furnace is overheating, if you smell something like burning plastic or metal coming from your vents. Turn off your system and schedule an appointment with an Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning expert as soon as possible should you notice this smell.
Burning Dust Odor. Burning dust at the start of the heating season is the most common smell. You are likely to smell something akin to burning dust when the furnace is turned on for the first time in a season or two. It’s literally dust burning off the system if you’re wondering what this smell is. There is nothing to be concerned about when you smell this. After the first use of the season, the burning dust is a common smell and should dissipate.
Sulfur / Rotten Egg Smell. Most furnaces operate on natural gas. The downside is that natural gas is incredibly flammable, but the great thing about natural gas is that it can power so many appliances. Natural gas is odorless, however gas companies add a chemical to the gas itself to give it a sulfur or rotten egg smell to combat this. It could lead to a litany of health issues, the gas smells so strong because if inhaled. Take it very seriously if you smell rotten eggs or sulfur in your home. Call an HVAC professional to locate the gas leak and repair it after you turn off the system.
Mildew / Mold Odor. Most recognize the heavy smell of mold and mildew. The last place you want to detect this smell is in your air vents. It’s time to call the HVAC experts at Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning if the smell of mold or mildew starts to permeate your home. In most cases a mold or mildew smell means fungus has found a home in your ductwork. Because prolonged mold exposure can have serious health repercussions, you would want to get this taken care of as soon as possible.
Gym Clothes Scent. The smell of gym clothes is very distinctive. If you smell this and you believe the heating system is the source, it could indicate that bacteria are growing on your furnace’s system coils. Your coils tend to get cold, then heat up quickly during the transition from AC to furnace season. The development of bacteria growth, this rapid change in temperature could cause condensation buildup. It’s time to call an HVAC professional, if your home does reek of gym socks, even if you haven’t been to the gym.

Forced Air Furnace Heating Diagnosis, Repair, Replacement & More in Summerlin, North LV, Henderson, Centennial, Enterprise, Lone Mountain Village, Paradise, Sunrise Manor, Spring Valley, Aliante, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Peccole Ranch, Silverado Ranch, Tuscany Village, Whitney, Winchester & Las Vegas Nevada

Should you notice any abnormal smells correlating with the heating system’s use in the Las Vegas Valley, call in the experts of Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning and let our experts investigate the source and deliver a reliable remedy.