Don’t Ignore Burning Odors When Heating Your Home

You wouldn’t ignore any burning smells coming from the kitchen when you were preparing dinner for your family, would you? Why, then, would you ever ignore a burning odor coming from your home heating system? If you use a furnace to heat your home, a burning odor could be a sign that there is a potentially serious problem with your system. Fortunately for you, the heating professionals on our staff are here to handle any heating repairs that you may need.

It May Just Be Dust

Our summer seasons are pretty long around here. If you have your heating system maintained at the end of the heating season, rather than right before putting your heater back into rotation, then it is possible that dust can build up in your furnace. This may not be the most serious problem that you’ll ever encounter, but it can certainly lead to an unpleasant burning odor when you first fire up your furnace again. If the odor persists, though, it is unlikely that dust on the burner is to blame.

Or Your System May Be Overheating

Another issue, and one that could potentially lead to real system damages, is the overheating of your fan motor. If your air filters are seriously clogged up, then they may create too much airflow resistance for your furnace’s fan to handle comfortably. The result will be excessive strain on the fan motor, with still more serious problems to come. Don’t put your system at risk due to such issues.

Electrical Wiring May Also Be an Issue

Even gas furnaces use electricity in their operation, so the smell of burning plastic with any furnace, gas or electric, should be taken seriously. Burning wiring is a serious fire risk, after all. You shouldn’t put your system at risk, but it goes without saying that your safety should not be in jeopardy, either.