Have you recently had a new furnace set up and are now having a strange smell? You’re not alone, because plenty of other homeowners also experience this at first. Let’s review what’s creating this smell, and when you can anticipate it to disappear, as well as three other furnace smells you shouldn’t ignore.

Why Your New Furnace Smells

There are two factors why a new furnace might smell.

Protective Finish

Your furnace has a special coating on some parts to keep them from rusting. This may include the heat exchanger, which safely exhausts gases such as carbon monoxide naturally made during the heating process.

When your furnace operates for the first couple of times, the coating may emit a burning smell. This is normal and the smell should disperse the more your furnace heats.

To be on the safe side, you’ll want to connect with a heating and cooling company if the smell continues. A burning smell that remains can mean the motor is too hot or there’s an electrical problem, among other concerns.

Dust

Dust builds inside your furnace when it’s not running in warm weather. That dust will burn off when you flip on your furnace in the fall, making a burning smell. This smell should subside within a few minutes.

One way you can reduce or prevent this smell is by having furnace maintenance done every single year. This is required to keep your valuable manufacturer’s warranty applicable, plus it keeps your furnace clean and ensures it will run properly during the upcoming heating season.

3 Other Furnace Smells You Shouldn’t Disregard

While it’s less common for a new system to need furnace repair, it can happen. Here are three other smells you should keep an eye out for and what they might mean.

  1. Burning plastic or rubber. If your furnace smells like burning plastic, you might have an electrical issue. Electrical wiring is coated in plastic to avoid shocks, and this smell is a signal that heat is melting this protective coating. To prevent a fire, switch off your furnace right away and have it examined out by an HVAC technician.
  2. Gas or rotten eggs. Gas companies add sulfur to natural gas to signal you when there’s a problem. If your furnace smells like gas or rotten eggs, turn it off right away, get out of your home and call 911. Exposure to natural gas can make you sick, plus it’s extremely flammable and explosive.
  3. Musty. If your furnace smells musty, you might have mold and mildew flourishing in your ductwork. We recommend having your ductwork examined and cleaned if needed.

Now that you know which furnace smells are normal and which ones aren’t, you’re ready to take care of your new heater. If you’re worried about a strange odor, our MPC Heating & Cooling HVAC technicians can help. Contact us at 308-832-4321 to schedule your appointment now. We provide quality, affordable furnace repair in Chadron and surrounding neighborhoods.