Your HVAC system is one of the most-used appliances in your home, and any
issues can quickly become serious problems if they are not dealt with
quickly. One of the tell-tale signs of a developing issue is a strong,
strange smell coming from your heater or air conditioner. Not only does
this make life at home unpleasant but it could be an indicator of a potentially
serious issue that may only get worse with continued use. What does your
strange smell mean? Read our blog and find out.
Burning Smell With the First Heat of the Season
We want to discuss this one first for an important reason. Did you just
turn on your heater for the first time in a while? If so, you may smell
a strange, burning odor throughout your home. Rest assured though,
this is entirely normal. This smell is caused by dust settling on your heating coil through the
idle months. This dust then burns up when you turn your heating coil back
on, leading to the odor. If you open some windows for a few minutes, the
odor should dissipate quickly. If it doesn’t, or continues with
repeated uses, then your issue may be more serious, and you should call
to schedule an inspection.
Damp & Musty Smells
Do you smell mold or mildew coming from your vents, particularly when you
turn on your air conditioner? The bad news is what you’re smelling
is probably exactly that: mold or mildew. Moisture can form from blocked
drainage tubes, poor insulation, or even old, leaky ductwork. This is
an extremely dangerous issue that should be corrected as soon as possible.
You will also need to undergo a thorough cleanup because mold or mildew
spores being spread throughout your home is a serious health hazard.
Smoke Smell
If your heater or air conditioner suddenly starts emitting a strong smoke
smell for seemingly no reason, this is a sign of a major issue, and you
should discontinue using them right away. This can usually be traced back
to a mechanical or electrical problem with your HVAC system, such as an
overheated part or electrical short. If you suddenly smell smoke, shut
off your system and check the unit outside. If you see or smell smoke,
schedule a repair immediately and do not turn your system back on.
Other Smoke Smell
If you smoke or live with a smoker then it’s easy to become immune
to the smell of tobacco, so you may not notice it circulating throughout
your home. However, those who move into a new home that was previously
owned by a smoker may notice an immediate tobacco smoke smell when turning
on their heater or air conditioner. This is because the smell of stale
smoke can create a film that attaches to the condenser coils and air ducts.
The air then picks up the odor of this smoke smell when the HVAC systems
are turned on and spreads the smell throughout the home. To eliminate
this smell, call an HVAC professional and schedule a duct and system cleaning service.
If you are experiencing a strange smell coming from your HVAC system, the
Murrieta HVAC professionals at
Correy Baker Heating & Air can provide you with high-quality workmanship and reasonable prices. We
offer 24/7 emergency services because we understand that air conditioning
and heating issues do not always occur during normal business hours. We
offer more than 25 years of experience, and pride ourselves on offering
all of our customers the same great service and quality workmanship with
each project or appointment.
Does your HVAC system smell funny? Call Correy Baker Heating & Air
today at to
schedule a service appointment now!