Have you recently had a new furnace installed and are now having a weird smell? You're not alone, because plenty of other homeowners also experience this at first. Let’s review what’s creating this smell, and when you can look forward to it to subside, as well as three other furnace smells you shouldn’t disregard.

Why Your New Furnace Smells

There are two factors why a new furnace might stink.

Protective Finish

Your furnace has a special coating on certain parts to keep them from rusting. This may include the heat exchanger, which safely gets rid of gases such as carbon monoxide naturally made during the heating process.

When your furnace operates for the first couple of times, the coating may give off a burning smell. This is standard and the smell should disperse the more your furnace runs.

To be on the safe side, you’ll want to call a heating and cooling company if the smell continues. A burning smell that sticks around can mean the motor has overheated or there’s an electrical problem, among other problems.

Dust

Dust builds inside your furnace when it’s not running in the spring and summer. That dust will burn off when you turn on your furnace in the fall, producing a burning smell. This smell should subside within a few minutes.

One way you can lessen or prevent this smell is by having furnace maintenance done each year. This is needed to keep your valuable manufacturer’s warranty applicable, plus it keeps your furnace clean and ensures it will run properly during the upcoming heating season.

3 Other Furnace Smells You Shouldn’t Dismiss

While it’s less common for a new system to require furnace repair, it can happen. Here are three other odors you should look out for and what they might mean.

  1. Burning plastic or rubber. If your furnace smells like burning plastic, you might have an electrical difficulties. Electrical wiring is coated in plastic to protect against shocks, and this smell is a sign that heat is melting this precautionary coating. To avoid a fire, switch off your furnace right away and have it examined out by an HVAC technician.
  2. Gas or rotten eggs. Gas companies add sulfur to natural gas to alert you when there’s a problem. If your furnace smells like gas or rotten eggs, turn it off as soon as possible, evacuate your home and call 911. Exposure to natural gas can make you ill, plus it’s extremely flammable and explosive.
  3. Musty. If your furnace smells musty, you might have mold and mildew growing in your ductwork. We recommend having your ductwork examined and cleaned if needed.

Now that you know which furnace smells are normal and which ones aren’t, you’re prepared to take care of your new furnace. If you're worried about a weird odor, our Struven Heating & Cooling HVAC technicians can help. Give us a call at 219-292-0956 to schedule your appointment right now. We supply quality, affordable furnace repair in Crown Point and surrounding areas.