How To Sniff Out Potential Furnace Problems
Diagnose Heating Issues Before They Happen!
Winters in the home stretch here in Lower New York State and Northern New Jersey.
If you take care of your heating equipment with regular maintenance, it should be doing a good job of taking care of you in return—keeping your home and family cozy and warm. But after several months and through some frigid cold snaps, it might be showing signs of wear—especially if it hasn’t had a tune-up in a while. Strange smells coming from your vents can be a sign that your furnace is on the brink of a breakdown.
Here are the three most common furnace odors, and what to do.
- Dusty, burning smells: A mild burning odor is not uncommon early in the season, when you first turn it on. It’s usually just accumulated dust burning off, and it should go away quickly. If the smell persists, or occurs later in the season, check your furnace’s air filter. It should be changed or cleaned at the start of the season, and monthly through the winter. If a new filter doesn’t resolve the problem, call us to get to the bottom of it.
- “Electrical” smell: If you smell something like the smell of a burning wire, and notice that your furnace is shutting off more frequently or for no reason, it may be a sign that your equipment is on the verge of overheating. Shut the system down and give us a call right away to have us come check it out.
- Burning rubber or mechanical smell: This is also a sign your furnace needs professional attention. It usually means rubber and metal parts are burning due to extreme wear and tear. Shut down the system right away and call us for repairs.
If you use gas or propane for any appliances in your home, such as your kitchen stove, clothes dryers, or even gas fireplaces, there’s one other odor you should be aware of. If you smell rotten eggs, it should alert that you may have a gas leak.
Get everyone—including pets—out of the building immediately, and avoid doing anything that could cause a spark, such as turning lights on or off, using any candles, or any gas appliance. Once you are away from the house, call 911 and as well as your propane or gas provider, and do not re-enter until you are told it’s safe by first responders.
How can I best avoid potential system failures?
The best way to avoid furnace problems is to stay on top of seasonal maintenance. Regular tune-ups also keep your equipment working at peak efficiency, which helps keep your fuel costs down. And did you know an annual tune-up is included with our service plans?
Whether you’re having furnace problems or would like to prevent them with a tune-up—or replace your old heating equipment outright with a new, high-efficiency system, the pros at Bolkema Fuels are here for you. Our technicians are trained to perform maintenance and repairs and installations on all types of systems so you can enjoy reliable heating service all season long. Contact us today for more information.