Around this time every year, we hear from homeowners who are concerned that their furnaces are giving off a burning smell. This can be quite alarming if you’ve never experienced it before. As it turns out, a burning smell from a furnace is very common but it’s also something that shouldn’t be ignored!
To help you understand when you should and shouldn’t worry about this problem, today we’re going to answer the question, “Why does my furnace smell like something’s burning?”
Why does my furnace smell like something’s burning at the beginning of the season?
October is the month that we typically turn on our furnaces for the first time since the previous winter. During the time that your furnace has been dormant, it has likely accumulated dust on its internal components, including inside the heat exchanger and around the burners.
When you finally turn on your furnace for the first time, the dust that has accumulated in the system will burn off. This can produce a burning smell that emanates throughout your home. Luckily, this is typically not a safety hazard and the smell should go away after a couple of hours. If you want to minimize the smell that this can produce, consider turning on your furnace during a mild day when you can open up your windows and let the burning smell escape.
Why does my furnace continually smell like something’s burning?
If your furnace is still giving off a burning smell after the first few times that you use it, your system might be experiencing some sort of problem.
One possibility is that your air filter is clogged. When your furnace filter is clogged, your blower motor will have to work extra hard and it can begin to overheat. This overheating can produce a burning smell from your furnace. In addition, a clogged filter will allow extra dirt to build upon your furnace, which will burn off and produce a smell for the same reasons listed above.
Another possibility is that your furnace is experiencing some sort of electrical issue, which can be a fire hazard.
If you’re not sure why your furnace is giving off a burning smell, your safest bet is to contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning so that we can inspect your system and take care of any problems before they threaten the safety of your home. In addition, be sure to schedule an annual furnace tune-up so that we can perform a full safety inspection on your system and clean its internal components, both of which can get rid of the possibility of a burning smell from your furnace.
What do I do if the burning smell persists?
If you have any questions about why your furnace smells like something’s burning, or if you’d like a heating system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, your St. Louis furnace repair and installation contractor. We service the St. Louis area, including towns like St. Charles, Wentzville, and Winghaven, MO.
While there’s never a convenient time for your heating system to go belly up, Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning makes heating repairs as painless as possible. There’s no brand or equipment model our team of technicians hasn’t seen, and our 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. hours make it easy to schedule HVAC repair service when it’s convenient for you. And, when your system conks out overnight, we provide award-winning emergency service that keeps your family safe and comfortable with after-hours charges that don’t break the bank.
Schedule furnace repair services online or call our team of heating specialists at Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning at (636) 442-0338 today!
