December 6, 2021
Are you picking up on a not-so-pleasant smell from your HVAC system? Anchor Heating & Air has been caring for Georgia houses since 1971, and we know HVAC smells! While some odors can be harmless, others can indicate a serious problem.
Learn which smells could be cause for concern, and schedule maintenance or repair services to prevent the problem from getting worse. As your trusted local HVAC contractor, we can help you tackle your fall HVAC maintenance checklist, perform HVAC tune ups in Atlanta, manage HVAC remodels, and ensure that your family can enjoy a healthy, comfortable, and efficient home all year.
Rotten Eggs
Detecting the smell of rotten eggs can save your life and your home! Natural gas and propane have no natural odor—a smell like rotten eggs is added to them to make highly flammable leaks easier to detect.
In the event that you smell rotten eggs, turn off your HVAC system and evacuate your home immediately. Make your way to a safe location, then call a professional heating team like Anchor Heating & Air to help guide you on next steps based on your unique situation.
Chemicals
If you smell a chemical-y odor coming from your furnace, it could be an indication that the heat exchanger is cracked, which means you’ll need urgent repair. In the meantime, Anchor recommends turning off your furnace right away. A cracked heat exchanger is an extreme hazard that can lead to a toxic carbon monoxide leak in your home.
Have an older HVAC system and feel motivated to replace it to prevent an issue this serious? Anchor has you covered with heating installation services.
Something Burning
A burning smell coming from your HVAC system is not always a bad sign. A mild odor that occurs when you first turn the system on (especially after a period of unuse) can be normal, especially if the smell dissipates fairly quickly and is not accompanied by visible smoke. This smell could simply be a result of dust accumulation that’s burning off as your system powers on.
If the burning smell doesn’t dissipate or gets worse, the issue could stem from anything from a rogue dog toy stuck in a vent to an electrical failure. A trained HVAC technician will be able to troubleshoot the problem with heating maintenance or repair services!
Metallic Burn
Though similar to a normal burning smell, a distinctly metallic burning smell could point to an electrical problem within your HVAC system. To remedy the issue, it’s best to turn off your system and wait to operate it again until after a professional technician can inspect your HVAC equipment.
If your HVAC system is 10 years old or older, it might be a good time to consider replacement with the pros at Anchor Heating & Air. One of the biggest benefits of a new HVAC system is the efficiency and reliability they offer over older models. We install a variety of systems and brands, including Trane air conditioning, and we are a certified Trane dealer.
General Funkiness
If your home has developed a persistent smell, your cooling system could be the cause. This symptom can arise from any number of issues, but poor air quality can wreak havoc on your respiratory system, and even cause cold or allergy symptoms. It’s smart to intervene as soon as you can. The Atlanta-area air conditioning technicians at Anchor Heating & Air will be able to address the problem and prevent the smell from returning with an AC maintenance and repair service.