Is it normal to smell natural gas by the furnace

While that is a pretty scary introduction, gas leaks can be a serious hazard in your home and should not be taken lightly. However, if you are smelling gas in a certain area or only during certain times, there may be another explanation. Let us take a look at some of the most common scenarios and why it may cause your HVAC exhaust to smell like gas. Dust The issue: If you have not started your HVAC system for a while, like in a vacation home, you may smell a strange scent when the heat first kicks on.

It might smell like rotten eggs or a gas burning smell. During the summer, dust may settle within the HVAC unit or system, and when the furnace turns on, the dust gets burned off.

The solution: If the scent is coming from your furnace when you first start it up for the season, it is likely dust burning off. The scent will go away on its own over a short period of time. Exhaust Pipe The issue: The gas from your furnace exhaust pipe which expels outdoors is blowing back through an open window or door to your home.

It is totally normal to smell a gas smell in the exhaust from your HVAC system, as this is how it expels used fuel or gas that may not have been completely used in your system. This is typical and how your HVAC system should function. In this article, we will review some of the potential odors produced by gas and electric furnaces and whether or not those odors are an indicator of a major problem with your heater.

However, in general, strange odors should always prompt a call to your local HVAC technician for an inspection. Here in Fresno and the Central Valley, be sure to call our team at Allbritten for fast and reliable heating repair from our experienced, friendly techs.

A burning dust smell may emanate from the furnace once you start the furnace at the beginning of the winter season. This smell is completely normal and should go away within several days. However, if the musty smell persists, try solving this problem by changing out the air filter.

If the problem persists after switching the air filter, it indicates a serious problem with the furnace. In such a situation, you should immediately turn off the system and call our team at Allbritten.

If you notice a metallic smell coming from the furnace, it might be due to a component inside the furnace overheating. In some cases, the smell will be similar to the burning of hot plastic, oil, or rubber. If you smell odors that suggest that something in the furnace is burning or overheating, you should immediately shut off the furnace and call Allbritten for an inspection.

The odor of a rotten egg or sulfur is another cause for serious concern. Utility companies put odor-indicating substances in natural gas, which is normally odorless. So, if you notice a potent rotten egg smell in your home, it could indicate a gas leak. You need to immediately shut off the gas furnace and call Allbritten for an inspection of your system. Sometimes, the smell of pet waste or hair will appear to emanate from the furnace registers.

Cleaning up the mess near the vent can solve the problem. In case you notice the smell of sewage water emanating from the vents, it may be that an open sewer line or a broken wastewater line may be located near the system.

Consisting primarily of methane, natural gas has no odor in its unprocessed state. Nevertheless, many homeowners experience smells—such as rotten eggs—that are potentially related to their furnace and are concerned about it. Are gas-related smells to be expected with a gas-burning furnace? The answer is not as simple as a yes or no, however, since smells in certain scenarios are to be expected while others are not.

As mentioned in the introduction, natural gas has no odor in its natural state. That could prove quite dangerous in residential environments, so utility companies mix in the chemical mercaptan.

Mercaptan is sulfur-based, and it creates a smell that many people associate with rotten eggs. Mercaptan is harmless to humans and pets, and the unsavory smell simply serves as a warning of gas leakage. But it can crop up at other times as well, and smelling it does not necessarily mean that you have a gas leak. Let us begin with the most hazardous scenario: a gas leak. It is worth mentioning that gas leaks involving home furnaces are uncommon, but there is certainly the potential.

If the smell of gas is strong and persistent, it is possible that you have a gas leak. At this point, you have to make a judgment call. Is the danger of combustion imminent? If so, leave the home immediately. If not, turn off the valve to the gas source, and open any windows that can be opened quickly and easily. Then, depart the home. Once you are outside and at a safe distance from the home, call your local fire department.

Next, call your gas company. Once the issue has been identified, it may be necessary to call an HVAC technician. Do so as soon as possible. Most heating companies provide emergency services for such situations. Let us dispel a prevalent misconception: carbon monoxide detectors do not detect gas leaks. If you would like gas leak detection added to your heating equipment, dedicated leak detectors are available that can identify even relatively minor seepage.

Nevertheless, carbon monoxide detection is important, and most residential building codes required CO detectors to be installed alongside gas-burning furnaces.