At night we turn the furnace down to 55 and in the morning turn it back up to 70. Every morning there is a distinct odor when the furnace first kicks in. We've cleaned the burners to no avail. This doesn't happen when just the fan is turned on, only when the burners ignite. Any ideas?
What sort of odor?
-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
Do you have a good digital Co meter, its a good idea to have one. Is it a musty smell, could be mold .
Is there also a pronounced "whoomf" sound when the burner ignites?
BB
What fuel does your furnace burn? If it gas, it could be very dangerous. Furnaces are best left to qualified people to maintain.
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There is in mine a lot of times. It is a natural gas furnace. What does this mean?
I believe it's fairly normal in a gas furnace. In an oil furnace, however, it can indicate delayed ignition, which is usually accompanied by an oil smell.
BB
Much the same way your brain operates piss-boy.
I had a problem with a dead mouse which somehow met its maker in the vent work. It took three years before the faint odour of dead mouse completely disappeared. ds
Yes it would have helped if the OP described the smell. I went based on the information that he did give, which indicated the smell was connected to the furnace igniting.
BB
You have poop in your vents?
What does is smell like? Does the cat use the litter box?
We have a gas furnace and get a "hot" smell, not terribly unpleasant - after a few minutes we don't notice it anymore, only in the transition between not-using-the-furnace and using-the-furnace. No hooting from the CO Detector, either. It's been that way for years; we've come to associate the smell with the onset of winter.
- Wm
It probably smells like his old laundry, cat litterbox , and the dead mouse, which is next to his return
I was doing a furnace install one time in a house where they had a litter box right next to the cold return. Near to killed me with the smell.
Exactly. You (and the OP) are roasting dust that has settled in the duct work throughout the off season.
You'll get less of a smell if you clean out the heating and cold air ducts before the heating seasons starts. Clean the registers...and put the hose of the vacuum cleaner as far down the duct work as it will go.
Cleaning the inside of the furnace, installing a new filter, and oiling the blower motor may also be in order. There may also be mold accumulated in any central humidifier that you may have...plus mineral deposits.
Have a nice week...
Trent
Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!
Its worse when they shit down the register. lol
Have a nice week...
Trent
Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!
Since no one here can smell it, it would be a wise move to locate a local tech that can look it over, and insure you have no problems with the unit.
The typical smell that you get from the first fire of the season is nothing but a little dust burning off the heat exchanger, or heat elements in the case of a heat pump or electric unit... Now.. You MIGHT have a condition known as DSS...or dirty sock syndrome...it actually involves the AC coil
how long ago did you get it serviced? your supply vents might be dirty and musty, and its releasing oders as those vents gets hot, and disaapears when it reaches centain temps.
and if not the supply vents check the exhaust vents or flue, make sure its clear of any combustibles close to it, should be away 6" or more. and no cracks, breakage or holes it in. if none time to check the inside and service it. i suggest a professional.
is there a damper? what kind of damper do you have in it? motorized or mechanical? that might be broken, if so youre smelling carbon monoxide, very deadly!
seen some vents that are exhausting to the attic, or the flue has no rain cap, improper flue slopes and a handfull more.
i think service is around $50...........
You know you can have your ducts cleaned. there are companies that suck out all the dead mice.
You may have had a dead rat, squirrel, or bird. Studies have shown that mouse corpses stop stinking after about a year Hehehe.
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