It's not uncommon for home owners to experience odd odours coming from their furnaces. Some of them are normal while others require help from a specialist from Maple Air Heating and Cooling, serving the Greater Toronto Area. Today, we will be discussing the five most common causes of furnace odours.

1. Burning Dust
This odour usually occurs when your furnace is being run for the first time in weeks or months. It is, indeed, just layers of dust that are burning away as the furnace is heating up. This odour will go away on its own after just a few cycles.

2. Burning Plastic
This smell, on the other hand, indicates a serious problem. It usually means that a plastic component in your furnace is burning up or a circuit board has been damaged by excessive heat. In either case, you'll need to consult a technician to examine your furnace.

3. A Musty Odour
This is more likely to occur if you have a combined HVAC system. Just like the burning dust smell, it often occurs after long periods of dormancy. It usually means there's dampness in your ducts, but it can also mean your air filter needs to be replaced. Once you replace your filter, running the furnace a few times will remove the smell. If it persists, however, there may be mould in the ducts, which will have to be addressed by a certified technician from Maple Air Heating and Cooling, serving the Greater Toronto Area.

4. Rotten Eggs
If you smell rotten eggs, that means you mayhave a gas leak. Natural gas suppliers add a special chemical to their gas to allow for detection since natural gas is odourless by itself. If you smell it, turn your furnace off and contact your fire department to detect the leak. If it's in the furnace, you need to contact an HVAC technician in the Greater Toronto Area from Maple Air Heating and Cooling to have it repaired or replaced.

5. Metallic Odour
An acrid, metallic smell also requires immediate attention. This usually means that a metal component is overheating or an electrical short is causing wires or electrical insulation to burn. You'll need to shut your furnace off and bring in an expert from Maple Air Heating and Cooling, serving the Greater Toronto Area.

When HVAC problems occur it is important to deal with them head on. If you suspect your furnace is having issues, Maple Air Heating and Cooling serving the Greater Toronto Area can be of assistance. Contact us today to schedule a maintenance or repair appointment.