What’s That Smell? It May Be Your Heater

What’s That Smell? It May Be Your Heater

10/24/2022


There is more than one way to figure out if and when your heater needs help. Over the years, even the most well-maintained heater is going to run into trouble. It is a good idea to know about the different warning signs that can come from a malfunctioning heater.

Today, we want to focus on just one of the warning signs that you might come into contact with: bad smells. If you’ve started to notice any of the following smells while trying to warm up your home, it is a good idea to contact us to schedule a heating repair in Dublin, OH.

4 Smells A Malfunctioning Heater Might Make

If your nose starts to detect any of the following smells while running your heater, it means that you need to schedule repairs sooner than later.

  1. A pungent, moldy smell from a heat pump: You turn on your heat pump and are immediately confronted with the scent of a musty mold. This is likely a sign of a couple of problems. The core cause is a clogged condensate drain. This clog leads to moisture building up in a condensate pan and allowing for the growth of mildew or mold. This can cause this pungent smell once the system starts heating up.
  2. The smell of burning electrical parts: When wires become frayed or electrical parts become compromised, it will create an acrid burning odor. This is a hard smell to miss. If you notice the scent around your home when your heater is turned on, then it is worthwhile to have a technician check things out.
  3. A sickly, sweet smell: Another concerning smell that might come from a heat pump is a sickly sweet smell. This is the scent created by leaking refrigerant. If you start to pick up on this smell from your heat pump system, then you’ll need a technician to find and patch the leak. You’ll also need them to refill the refrigerant supply that was lost.
  4. The smell of sulfur or rotten eggs: Be very careful with this smell. If you have a gas-burning furnace then you will need to know to watch out for the smell of rotten eggs or sulfur when it is in use. This is because this scent is created by gas leaking out of your system. And that is a problem that you’ll need repaired ASAP.

Concerning smells are just one of the warning signs that your heater is in trouble. If you notice any of these smells, or you pick up on any of the other signs of trouble, then you’ll want to get repairs taken care of quickly.

Waiting to get your system repaired can lead to the loss of the entire system! That’s why it is best to keep our information on hand–you can schedule repairs quickly whenever you notice something is wrong.

When your heater needs help, contact Paramount Heating & Air to get your system fixed. The service guys in the purple trucks.