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

Why Your New Furnace Smells

There are two explanations why a new furnace might stink.

Protective Coating

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

When your furnace operates for the first couple of times, the coating may give off a burning smell. This is standard and the smell should disperse the more your furnace operates.

To be on the safe side, you’ll want to contact a heating and cooling company if the smell lingers. A burning smell that sticks around can mean the motor is too hot or there’s an electrical problem, among other problems.

Dust

Dust collects inside your furnace when it’s idle in warm weather. That dust will burn off when you switch on your furnace in the fall, producing a burning smell. This smell should go away within a few minutes.

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

3 Other Furnace Smells You Shouldn’t Disregard

While it’s less common for a new system to require furnace repair, it happens. 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 problem. Electrical wiring is coated in plastic to avoid shocks, and this smell is a signal that heat is melting this precautionary coating. To avoid a fire, switch off your furnace right away and have it inspected out by an HVAC technician.
  2. Gas or rotten eggs. Gas companies include sulfur in natural gas to alert you when there’s a leak. If your furnace smells like gas or rotten eggs, turn it off right away, leave 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 growing in your ductwork. We recommend having your ductwork checked and cleaned if required.

Now that you are aware 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 Farris Heating & Air HVAC technicians can help. Contact us at 918-333-0376 to schedule your appointment today. We provide quality, affordable furnace repair in Bartlesville and surrounding areas.