Ok, here's the story. I have an oil burner that, when it runs it sometimes has a smell. When the old furnace went bad about 6 years ago, I had it replaced but the smell remained. My guess is that it has something to do with the ducts, but what could be causing it? Unfortunately, the ducts run under the house and this is a single story home with foundation and no crawl space. Over the last several years, drainage problems developed with the foundation but it has only been this winter that they were finally fixed. Up until that time, water would seep into the foundational cracks. I have suspected for some time that perhaps water got into the ducts and became stagnant there causing the smell, but I am now stumpted because the smell still comes and goes even though the foundation problems were remedied. I am at my wits end because it's not a good smell when it comes and I don't know what it could be doing to our health. I have had several HVAC people here over the years and they can't come up with anything other than the furnace itself is working fine. I'd really like to get this solved once and for all and welcome any suggestions. The last time I posted here, someone suggested a dead animal in the ducts but this wouldn't smell off and on for five years I wouldn't think. Is there the possibility that even though the foundation is fixed, stagnant water could still be in the ducts but then why would the smell still be occasional? Help, help help, PLEASE!!
- posted
14 years ago