Electric furnace releasing strange, burning gas smell. Should I be concerned?

Question

I turned on the heat for the first time due to the new cold air and immediately I smelled a gas -ike smell. Hours later the smell is still there. Is this a health risk? What might be the problem and what should I do?

Answer 1

Normally there may be some Dust that burns off when it first used after summer. Turn it up a little and open some windows and let it run for 30-45 minutes. May need to do this a few times to clear it. If, the smell persist, you may want to call a Service Person as it may be a wire overheating and melting. If, it worked well last winter, I assume it just dust.

Answer 2

Usually there's a burning smell the first time a furnace is "lit", usually from trapped dust burning and being released through the ductwork. It can smell like gas or just a weird smell; remember, there's probably small amounts of hair in there, possibly trapped insects, among other contaminants. Open the windows to ventilate, and try the furnace again. If it still stinks, call the company and investigate. Another possibility is, get this: If you've painted or used any type of paint product recently in the house, and you turn the heat on, the smell is magnified by the heat, and becomes so bad, it can mimic a petroleum-type smell. So try to avoid painting when you are running your heat. That is another strong possibility. I speak from personal experience: I was renovating and turned the heat on and got a horrible odour that I could not figure out. I called the gas company, and the serviceman told me what I just said.

Answer 3

Usually at the start of the heating season it is just dust that has built up in the furnace. This is more of a problem if you also have a/c because you are running air through it in the summer. I agree the most likely it is needs to be vacuumed. Or it will go away after some use. Sometimes when changing a filter stuff can be dropped in the furnace pulled in to the blower and end up on top of the heat exchanger and you can smell that cooking. I have seen blowers full of packing peanuts, parts of filters, plastic bags, and other "stuff". But it also can indicate a serious problem as well, like a cracked heat exchanger as mentioned. It the problem has been ongoing, more than a week, then you should have it looked at. Good Luck.

Answer 4

Anytime you feel you smell GAS, call the gas company (not fire department as someone suggested) and have them locate it. If you didnt have the problem last season, more than likely, your burner might have some cob webs from spiders and the burner isnt quite burning as it should. This will not only emit gas smell, but carbon monoxide.

I suggest you start with the gas company doing an inspection, to eliviate your worries or to shut off any potential hazard. They will most likely suggest you call a professional. A professional should check for proper venting of the flu, and for clean burners. Your furnace should be checked and cleaned once a year for safety.

Answer 5

it's more than likely dust that has settled on the unit burning off, if it's an electric furnace it's not gas that your smelling it could take a couple of days for this smell to disipate.

Answer 6

Any time you can smell gas in a house or apartment it should be checked out immediately. Gas can knock you out and if there were a fire you wouldn't even know it.

Answer 7

Call the fire department. They have a sniffer that can locate the source. Then again so does the utility company. Do it quickly-don't delay.

Answer 8

Its probably dust burning off your burners and this is normal when you first start heating for the season......

Answer 9

What SS said. You might have a short somewhere.

Good luck!