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Furnace Leaking Water – What to Do

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Furnace Leaking Water – How To Troubleshoot – A Comprehensive Guide.

If your furnace is leaking water, it is important to act quickly to identify the source of the leak and repair it. In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know about troubleshooting a furnace leaking water. We will go over what causes furnaces to leak water, signs of a furnace leak, safety tips to prevent a furnace leak, troubleshooting a furnace leak, step-by-step guide to fixing a furnace leak, how to inspect your furnace for leaks, how to prevent future furnace leaks, what to do if your furnace continues to leak, and tips for hiring a professional to fix your furnace leak.

The pros here at BNG have experience with this matter. Contact us!

What Causes Furnaces to Leak Water?

There are several possible causes of a furnace leaking water. The most common cause of a furnace leaking water is a blocked or broken condensate line. The condensate line is responsible for carrying water away from the furnace. If the line is blocked or broken, water can build up in the furnace, causing it to leak. Other causes of a furnace leaking water can include a clogged air filter, a faulty pressure switch, or a cracked heat exchanger.

Another cause of a furnace leaking water may be due to a humidifier. If the humidifier is set too high, it can cause the furnace to leak. This is because the furnace is unable to handle the extra moisture in the air, which leads to condensation and a leak. Also, if the humidifier is not properly maintained, it can lead to a buildup of dirt and debris in the water tank, which can also cause a leak.

Furnace Leaking Water

Signs of Furnace Leaking Water

The most obvious sign of a furnace leaking water is water on the floor around the furnace. If you notice water on the floor, it is important to act quickly to identify the source of the leak and repair it. Other signs of a furnace leaking water may include a musty smell, rust on the furnace, or a sudden increase in your energy bills.

If you notice any of these signs, it is important to contact the professionals at BNG to inspect your furnace. We will be able to diagnose the issue and recommend the appropriate action to take.

Safety Tips to Prevent Furnace Leaks

The best way to prevent a furnace leaking water is to have it serviced regularly. A professional technician will be able to inspect the furnace and make sure all components are in working order. This will ensure that your furnace is running efficiently and safely.

It is also important to check your furnace filter regularly and replace it when needed. A clogged filter can cause the furnace to overwork, resulting in a leak. Additionally, it is important to keep the area around the furnace clear of debris to ensure proper airflow.

Troubleshooting a Furnace Leak

If you think your furnace is leaking water, it is important to act quickly to prevent further damage. First, you should turn off the power to the furnace. This will prevent any further damage to the unit. Once the power is off, you can locate the source of the leak and take the necessary steps to fix it.

The first step is to inspect the condensate line. If the line is blocked or broken, it can cause water to build up in the furnace and eventually leak. You should also check the air filter, pressure switch, and heat exchanger for any signs of damage. If any of these components are damaged, they should be replaced or repaired immediately.

Furnace Leaking Water

How to Inspect Your Furnace for Leaks

Once you have located the source of the leak, you can take the necessary steps to fix it. If the condensate line is blocked or broken, you should replace it with a new one. DIYers may opt to purchase a replacement line from the local hardware store.

If the air filter is clogged, you should replace it with a new one. You can also check the pressure switch and heat exchanger for any signs of damage. If either of these components are damaged, you should have them replaced or repaired by a professional. Call BNG Today!

How to Prevent Future Furnace Leaks

The best way to prevent future furnace leaks is to have your furnace serviced regularly. A professional technician will be able to inspect the furnace and make sure all components are in working order. This will ensure that your furnace is running safely and efficiently.

It is also important to check your furnace filter regularly and replace it when needed. A clogged filter can cause the furnace to overwork, resulting in a leak. Additionally, it is important to keep the area around the furnace clear of debris to ensure proper airflow.

Check out our cost-saving maintenance plans!

What to Do If Your Furnace Continues to Leak

If your furnace continues to leak, it is important to contact a professional for assistance. An experienced technician will be able to diagnose the issue and recommend the appropriate course of action. They may suggest replacing or repairing certain components or installing a new furnace altogether.

Tips for Hiring a Professional to Fix Your Furnace Leak

When hiring a professional to fix your furnace leak, it is important to make sure they are experienced and knowledgeable. You should ask for references and check their credentials. Additionally, you should make sure they are insured and licensed. This will ensure that they are qualified to work on your furnace and will provide quality work.

BNG meets all of these credentials and more. Call us for quality work today!

(812) 858-4000

A furnace leaking water can be a dangerous problem. It is important to act quickly to identify the source of the leak and take the necessary steps to fix it. In this comprehensive guide, we have covered everything you need to know about troubleshooting a furnace leaking water. We have gone over what causes furnaces to leak water, signs of a furnace leak, safety tips to prevent a furnace leak, troubleshooting a furnace leak, step-by-step guide to fixing a furnace leak, how to inspect your furnace for leaks, how to prevent future furnace leaks, what to do if your furnace continues to leak, and tips for when to call your BNG professional to fix your furnace leak.

If you suspect that your furnace is leaking water, it is important to act quickly to prevent further damage. Contact a professional at BNG to inspect your furnace and repair any issues. Remember to have your furnace serviced regularly to ensure that it is running safely and efficiently. With the right maintenance and care, you can help prevent your furnace from leaking water and keep your home safe.

Preparing Your Home for Winter: Furnace Maintenance Tips

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Preping your home for winter is essential. Following these tips will help keep your furnace running like a charm. Call 812-858-4000 today!

With winter fast approaching, it’s a good idea to start preparing your home for the cold months ahead. One of the most important steps you can take is to make sure that your furnace is in working order. Proper maintenance of your furnace will ensure that you and your family stay warm during the cold winter months and save money on energy costs. Today we’ll be taking a look at some tips to help you keep your furnace running smoothly all season long.

Schedule Annual Inspections

It is recommended that homeowners schedule an annual inspection of their furnaces before the start of winter. A professional technician will be able to identify any potential problems with your furnace before they become more serious issues. During an inspection, technicians can check gas lines, pilot lights, thermostat sensors, blowers, and filters to make sure everything is in working order. An annual inspection can help you save money by preventing costly repairs down the line.

Make your heating and cooling needs effortless.
Let BNG take care of it!

Maintenance Plans

 

Change Your Filters Regularly

Clogged or dirty air filters are one of the most common causes of furnace breakdowns. It’s important to change these filters regularly so that air flow isn’t restricted and all parts of the system are working properly. Most manufacturers recommend changing filters at least once every three months; if you have pets, this should be done even more frequently as pet hair can easily clog up filters quickly.

Keep Your Vents Clear

Furnace vents should not be blocked by furniture or other items as this can prevent proper air circulation throughout your home which may lead to overheating and other potential problems with efficiency over time. Keep all vents clear so that air can circulate freely throughout your home during wintertime when temperatures drop outside.

For all the reasons why it’s never okay to block vents, read our blog post.

Proper maintenance of your furnace is essential for ensuring a safe and comfortable winter season for you and your family while also helping lower energy bills in the long run! Following these tips will help keep your furnace running like a charm this winter season but if any problems do arise it’s best to contact a professional right away instead of attempting repairs yourself in order to avoid any potential safety hazards or further damage to the system. We hope these tips were helpful! Stay warm out there!

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Preparing Your Home for Winter: Furnace Maintenance Tips

furnace is blowing cold air

Furnace Is Blowing Cold Air

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We can get to bottom of why your furnace is blowing cold air. Our knowledgeable team of experts have dealt with just about every scenario. The reason your furnace is blowing cold air could be any of the following problems.

 

Luckily, BNG is available to help you. Call us today!

Possible Reasons Your Furnace Is Blowing Cold Air

Pilot Light Issues

There won’t be a fire to heat the cold air if your electric furnace ignition or pilot light is broken. You most likely have an electronic furnace ignition if your furnace is more recent. The norm for older furnaces is a pilot light.

Faulty Thermostat

It’s possible that the thermostat is switching on the blower motor but not the burner.

Broken Circuit Board

The circuit control board delivers signals to switch on the furnace blower and furnace burner when it receives the heating cycle command from the thermostat. The furnace blower but not the furnace burners may be turned on if the circuit control board is broken.

Gas Furnace Supply Issues

You either need to refill your gas or the gas valve is broken. If you use propane instead of natural gas to heat your home, your gas supply will eventually run out, and you will need to periodically refill it.

Overheating Triggered by Safety Mode

Is your furnace blowing hot air sometimes and cold air other times? A safety mode is activated when the furnace becomes too hot to prevent the heat from increasing to a risky level.

Faulty Main Limit

The main limit is a piece that, like every other component, might deteriorate or get dirty. The main limit’s job is to stop the ignition when the component gets too hot.

Cracked Heat Exchanger

Your home is at immediate risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if the heat exchanger on the furnace is cracked.

Dirty Air Filter

The cool air from inside your house will have a difficult time passing through a dirty or clogged furnace filter and into the furnace.

Blocked Supply Air Flow

Warm air cannot be distributed in your home if your supply vents are closed or blocked by furniture.

Clogged Coil

Despite the fact that the evaporator coil is used for the cooling cycle, all cleaned air must pass by it in order to enter they supply duct. If the evaporator coil is dirty or clogged, it will be difficult for air to move past it.

 

What to Do if Your Furnace Is Blowing Cold Air

Furnace Is Blowing Cold Air

Check Your Thermostat

Make sure your thermostat is in the heating mode first and foremost.

Next, make sure the fan setting on the thermostat is AUTO rather than ON. Your issue might be that it is set to ON; change it right away. Even when the heating cycle is not engaged, the furnace fan continues to blow when the ON option is selected.

Examine and Adjust Your Vents

Check all of your registers and vents. Verify that all of the vents are open and unobstructed.

Examine the furnace filters and replace them if necessary

Circulation of air is disrupted by a dirty filter. Check to see if the filters in your furnace are clogged or dirty. If so, replace them. We advise replacing your air filters at least every three months, or anytime they become dirty.

Call BNG

(812) 897-3000

Numerous things could go wrong when working with gas and electricity! We strongly advise against attempting to solve the problem yourself for your safety and protection. Call us! We’ll service your system so your system can service you!

 

Heat Pumps

Consider a Geothermal Heat Pump for These 3 Reasons

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Consider a geothermal heat pump that works by concentrating the heat already present in the earth, making it a clean, dependable, and renewable energy source. Since the 1940s, geothermal heat pumps have been used to effectively and completely heat and cool dwellings. Instead of using the temperature of the outside air like air-source systems do, they use the steady temperature of the soil as their heat transfer medium.

1. Reduced Utility and Upkeep Costs

A geothermal system can significantly reduce your utility and HVAC maintenance costs. Even though installing a geothermal heat pump with a buried-loop system can be more expensive than installing an air-source system, you might end up saving money in the long run on energy and maintenance.

Our experts often observe customers recouping their investment through energy savings in five to ten years. The US Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that compared to traditional heating systems, a geothermal heat pump will immediately reduce your heating expenditures by 30 to 60% and your cooling costs by 20 to 50%.

The majority of these savings are attributable to the clean, renewable energy it uses and the negligible amount of electricity required to convey the heat from the earth to your home. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), heating and cooling a typical 2000 square foot home can be done for as little as $1 per day.

The costs associated with maintaining this system are also drastically reduced. Because the outer parts of a geothermal heat pump are buried, their lifespan is substantially longer than that of conventional systems. The pieces are far less prone to break because they are not outside and have less moving parts.

2. Extended System Life

A geothermal heat pump has a far longer lifespan than most traditional heating and cooling systems. About 20 to 25 years is the average lifespan of the heat pump’s indoor components, as opposed to a furnace’s or air conditioner’s 10 to 15 years or fewer. The outer ground loop has a 50-year lifespan.

The likelihood that you will need to replace your geothermal heat pump while residing in your house is low if you invest in a new system. According to research, ground loops can persist for up to 100 years.

3. Better for the Environment

A geothermal heat pump employs the sun’s clean, renewable energy as its source of power. This means there won’t be any onsite burning, which means there won’t be any emissions of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or other greenhouse gases, which means your home won’t have any combustion-related safety or air quality issues. When compared to more conventional fossil-fuel-burning systems, the heat pump unit itself uses a negligible amount of power, which may be produced using fossil fuels.

These systems don’t use combustion, which reduces the release of greenhouse gasses and makes them environmentally benign. The Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium claims that installing a geoexchange—or geothermal—system in a typical home will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the same amount as planting an acre of trees.

BNG can recommend and install the best geothermal heat pump system for your home. Contact us today!

Best Time to Replace Your HVAC System

When is the Best Time to Replace Your HVAC System?

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Replacement of your HVAC system is unavoidable eventually. If you think your HVAC System may be on its last leg, it’s wise to replace it before it becomes an emergency. It’s even smarter to take advantage of the window of opportunity when HVAC companies are having the best deals. The best time to replace your HVAC system is during the off-season.

The off-season typically runs from early March to mid-May and late September to mid-November. This is the greatest time to replace your home or business’s HVAC system. You basically have one and a half months in the spring and one and a half months in the fall.

The weather is normally warm in the spring and fall, with no extreme temperatures. This time of year is ideal for outdoor activities but relatively slow for the HVAC industry. For that reason, now is when you can get the best deals and rebates on new installation.

There may be factory rebates available. Call or click below to check current rebates.

Rebates and Incentives

There are several flexible options for financing your new Bryant installation. That way, you can invest in your home’s comfort without breaking your monthly budget.

Buy Today, Pay Over Time

We involve the use of modern equipment to ensure that our customers receive superior services all the time. Furthermore, we are Factory Authorized Bryant Heating and Cooling Systems Installation experts. This shows our level of expertise when it comes to installation of cooling systems and AC maintenance. We have the capacity to handle full system replacements and installations in both residential and commercial buildings. And with our “100% Satisfaction or your Money Back” guarantee, you have nothing to worry about! If you’d like more information or would like to speak with one of our certified professionals, feel free to contact us or give us a call at (812) 858-4000.

 

 

A man performing and HVAC inspection.

3 Reasons to Get an HVAC Inspection Before Buying a Home

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Considering a Home Purchase? First, have an HVAC inspection! Purchasing a new home is an exciting experience! It’s one of the most significant investments you’ll ever make. As a result, it’s critical that you understand exactly what you’re getting.

Consider the following scenario. You’ve done a walkthrough, made an offer, and are now awaiting the results of your home inspection to ensure everything is in working order. The inspector ensures that the heating and air conditioning systems are operational before moving on to the next step. Everything appears to be in order, and you finish the sale of your property. The furnace breaks down shortly after you move in… when you discover that the heating system is about 30 years old! It’s worn out and no longer covered by the manufacturer’s guarantee.

This headache may have been avoided if you had gotten a professional HVAC inspection! Here are three reasons why a separate HVAC assessment should be performed before you close on a new house.

1. A HOME INSPECTION ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH
The primary purpose of a home inspector is to assess a house from top to bottom for safety issues. They examine a home’s structure and other components visually. They then write a report summarizing their findings and highlighting any areas of concern. Most house inspectors aren’t HVAC technicians. As long as the system is operational and blows hot and cold air, it meets their “excellent operating condition” requirements.

Inspectors aren’t required to assess fuel tanks, ignite pilot lights, or perform a variety of other vital heating inspections, according to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. They also don’t have to check electrical current, coolant fluids or gases, or coolant leaks when it comes to cooling. A professional HVAC inspector will check all of this and more, and provide you with a complete report on the state of the system in the house. You’ll know exactly what you’re getting and be able to request repairs before closing.

2. RUNNING DOESN’T MEAN EFFICIENT OR EFFECTIVE
Just because something works doesn’t mean it works well. Old or poorly maintained equipment, leaky ductwork, and other frequent problems can reduce efficiency and increase energy costs. Heating and cooling account for 42% of your annual energy costs on average. An HVAC professional can pinpoint present difficulties, warn you about potential future concerns, and suggest pre-closing repairs you should require.

More than just your electric bill is affected. Uneven heating, inaccurate temperatures, and too much or too little humidity in your house are some of the negative consequences of inefficient or poor HVAC.

Mold and mildew can form in areas where the humidity is too high. Mold and mildew, of course, can be a health problem, causing everything from allergy-like symptoms to more serious medical issues. It’s simple to see why it’s critical that your HVAC system not only works, but works well.

3. AIR CONDITIONING REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS CAN BE EXPENSIVE
Even if you have a snazzy smart fridge, your HVAC system is likely the most expensive appliance in your home! An HVAC system replacement costs around $8,500 on average. An HVAC inspection, on the other hand, costs around $300 on average. Spending a little money up front on an HVAC inspection is significantly less expensive than dealing with a large, unexpected bill later!

Even if you don’t require a complete replacement, it’s a good idea to be aware of the potential repair costs. Your HVAC inspection professional should provide you with a list of repairs or upgrades that they propose. You can request a cost estimate to have those recommendations implemented. This way, you’ll know exactly what fees will be associated with your new property. It also gives you the power to ask the seller to make repairs or to negotiate money back at closing so you may do the repairs and upgrades yourself.

BNG provides HVAC Inspections in Boonville, Evansville, Newburgh, and Richland.

Request an Inspection Quote

How to Reach the Maximum Life Expectancy of Your Furnace

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The furnace in a household central HVAC system has an average lifespan of 15 to 20 years. This will vary slightly depending on the type and quality of furnace you have. Here are four suggestions to help you reach the maximum life expectancy of your furnace. The best time to implement these practices is when your furnace is brand new, but it’s never too late to start.

Maintain Proper Airflow

The majority of household furnaces are built to circulate a specific volume of air in order to achieve the temperature set on the thermostat. Blockages and other issues that disrupt the air balance place additional effort on the furnace blower, resulting in higher energy consumption and faster wear and tear. Maintaining sufficient airflow allows for shorter cycle durations, which reduces blower wear. A blocked furnace filter is the most common airflow restriction in an HVAC system. It’s recommended that you change out or clean furnace filters every three months. Also check that your vent registers aren’t closed or blocked by furniture.

Avoid Using the “On” Setting

The fan settings on most thermostats are Auto and On. The blower inside the furnace air handler is directly controlled by this. The blower runs continuously on the On setting, whereas the Auto setting only runs when the furnace or air conditioner is turned on. In almost all circumstances, the Auto setting should be used exclusively.

Leaving your thermostat fan control on will use more energy by constantly running the blower fan. The fan bearings will wear out faster if the fan is used frequently, hence it is only advised for certain reasons. If you have a whole-house air purifier, for example, the On setting will make greater use of it by cycling air through it constantly.

Invest in a Programmable Thermostat

A programmable thermostat, allows you to have the most precise control over your HVAC system. You can save wear on the system by using the programmable settings to only run your furnace when it’s needed. Programmable thermostats can set a plan to run your system at specified times throughout the day, in addition to responding to temperature.

Setting your furnace to turn off in the middle of the night or while you’re out at work is a terrific way to cut down on runtime and extend the life of your furnace. Fortunately, this does not imply that you must forego comfort. You may program your furnace to turn on just before you get up or return home, ensuring that you never have to wait in a cold house for it to kick on.

Schedule a Yearly Tune-Up

During a maintenance visit, an expert will clean your furnace thoroughly, check for good operation of critical safety switches, and inspect internal components for signs of wear. These methods will maintain your furnace and will allow you to detect hidden issues before they become significant and cause damage to your furnace. Schedule Yours Online Today!

Technician performing maintenance for maximum life expectancy of a Bryant furnace.

The amount of effort you put into keeping your furnace in good working order influences how many years of comfort and convenience you will get out of it. Keep these suggestions in mind, and Contact Us for all your heating and cooling needs.

Fireman gives heating safety tips for winter.

Five Heating Safety Tips for Winter

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Each year, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, the month of January sees a spike in residential fires caused by heating equipment. After cooking, heating is the second greatest cause of house fires. We’ve put together this handy list of heating safety tips for the winter to keep families safe. Any homeowner can keep their family safe and warm throughout the heating season with a little planning and a few simple procedures.

Heating Safety Tips for Winter

  1. Keep combustible goods away from furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, and space heaters by at least three feet.
  2. Never heat your home with an oven or stovetop. Kitchen ovens were never intended to heat homes, only to cook food.
  3. Have your heating system inspected and cleaned by a skilled technician every year. Examine the area around your furnace or boiler for any signs of damage. Keeping combustible items and substances too close to the furnace causes many heating equipment fires. Garbage, paint, and other flammable objects should be kept away from your heating system.
  4. Never leave a space heater unattended or keep it running overnight while you sleep. Space heaters should be plugged into a wall. An extension cord or power strip should not be used since they can overheat and cause a fire.
  5. Once a month, test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Smoke alarms that are powered by your home’s electrical service may not work during a power outage during a winter storm. Install a new battery in your smoke alarm at least once a year if it uses a backup battery.

Schedule a service appointment if you’re utilizing space heaters to warm areas in your house. Uneven heating is one of the most prevalent problems we hear from homeowners, and our knowledgeable repair specialists are eager to figure out what’s causing it.

Influential Women in HVAC

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In terms of background, gender, and ethnicity, the HVAC field values diversity. Despite this, there has always been a lack of women who have chosen to make it their profession. To show how influential women have been in this industry, we’d like to talk about Alice Parker, Margaret Ingles, and our very own Olive Lewellyn.

Influential Women in Heating and Cooling History

 

Alice Parker

Alice H. Parker patented the natural gas central heating system. Natural gas as a fuel for a furnace was a breakthrough idea in the 1920s, paving the way for the central heating systems we use today.

Influential Women in HVAC - Alice Parker

People relied on coal or wood as their primary source of heat at the time. While furnaces and the concept of central heating date back to the Roman Empire, science made little progress in the years that followed, and the heating technologies used at the end of the nineteenth century were still quite primitive.

Parker’s patent for her heating system was filed on December 23, 1919. Cool air was taken into the furnace, then passed through a heat exchanger, which distributed heated air to individual rooms of a house via ducts. Parker’s design was unusual in that it used natural gas instead of coal or wood.

Alice H. Parker was inspired by the fact that her fireplace was ineffective at keeping her home warm during the chilly New Jersey winters. Her idea was useful since it eliminated the need for people to go outdoors and chop or purchase wood. By reducing the need to leave a burning fireplace on all night, it also reduced the risk of house or building fires caused by heating systems. Her idea that natural gas and ducts could be used to heat different portions of a house was a big step toward the heating systems used today.

She was an African American woman who succeeded at a time when black women had few opportunities to showcase their abilities. Her patent was filed before the Civil Rights and Women’s Liberation movements, making her accomplishments all the more remarkable because they knocked through countless barriers for black women of her generation.

Margaret Ingles

In 1920, Margaret Ingles became the first woman to earn a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. She graduated from University of Kentucky. Ingles made a number of significant contributions to heating and cooling. The most significant was the development of the effective temperature scale for home comfort. It took into account humidity and airflow, going beyond just a figure on a thermometer, to provide a measurement of how the temperature actually feels. This was made possible by another of her inventions, the sling psychrometer, which detected moisture in the air and offered reliable humidity readings. Most new homes didn’t come equipped with air conditioning until the late 1960’s, but Ingles played a key role in the development of today’s air conditioning system.

Olive Lewellyn

In 1946, Olive Lewellyn took over Boonville Natural Gas Corporation with her late husband Lawrence Young. When her husband passed away suddenly a few years later, Mrs. Lewellyn was left with two small children to raise and a company to run alone at a time when there were very few women business owners and almost no women executives in the natural gas or heating industries, especially in the rural Midwest.

There were no air conditioners at the time, so the company started working on heating. It was just after World War II and there were coal furnaces everywhere. Using these coal furnaces got coal dust all over the house. But thanks to Alice Parker’s discoveries, Bryant had a solution. They created a cast iron conversion burner in order to retrofit coal furnaces to burn cleaner natural gas instead. Though these conversion burners did not have the efficiency modern natural gas furnaces have, Mrs. Lewellyn’s customers seemed to appreciate a break from the coal dust.

She continued to come to work every day up until her health started to fail in late 2004. Mrs. Lewellyn was an outstanding business owner and a woman well ahead of her time. Her commitment to excellent customer service was instilled in the company from the very beginning and is still our driving force today.

For more about how Olive Lewellyn’s legacy lives on in our family-owned and operated company today, please read About Us.

Why Does My Furnace Smell Bad?

Why Does My Furnace Smell Bad?

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Chilly weather has arrived, and you’re ready to turn on the heat in order to keep your home warm. However, you may detect a strange odor coming from your furnace that wasn’t there before you turned it on. If you find yourself thinking, “Ew, why does my furnace smell bad?” then read on to find the answer.

It’s typical to notice a weird odor coming from your furnace, especially if you haven’t used it in a long time, but it’s crucial to distinguish between dust and debris or a significant problem.

You can always count on us if you have any concerns! Since 1946, BNG has provided heating repair, maintenance, and furnace replacement/installation services. When a furnace emits an unusual odor or you have questions about other frequent heater issues, we know what to look for.

Reasons for a Bad-Smelling Furnace

In general, if your furnace has been sitting dormant for some time, a little odor is not something to be concerned about. The following are the most typical causes of a funny-smelling furnace:

  • Dirty furnace – If a furnace hasn’t been cleaned out before it’s turned on, dust and debris burn off, so if the scent is slightly dusty and burning, it’s likely the result of the dust burning off.
  • Mold – If the stench coming from your heater isn’t only dusty, but also musty, like an old damp towel, there may be mold trapped in the furnace as well as dust. Mold can grow in a furnace’s filter, A/C coil, or humidifier panel, if one is installed.
  • Trapped toys or an unnoticed spill – If the burning smell is similar to that of burned plastic or an electrical short, it could be the result of a toy that became stuck in your vent or a spilt food or drink near a vent. If you’ve checked your vents for foreign objects but haven’t found anything, call us right away for assistance, as the electrical odor coming from your furnace could be dangerous! (812) 858-4000
  • Clogged furnace filter – An oily odor from your furnace could indicate a problem, such as a dirty filter that has to be replaced. If the smell lingers after the filter has been replaced, you should have our experienced professionals inspect your HVAC system to ensure the problem isn’t serious.

How to Fix a Bad-Smelling Furnace

To alleviate an unpleasant odor emanating from your furnace, you can perform the following general maintenance:

  1. Before turning on the heating unit, clean any dust or debris that has accumulated on the coils, heater exchange, or inside.
  2. Replace the furnace filter.
  3. Check for trash and dust in the ducts. You can use a vacuum cleaner to clean out your ductwork.

Smells That Indicate a Major Furnace Issue

Although most smells from a furnace do not indicate a problem, you should keep an eye out for a handful that could indicate a greater problem. The following are a few scents to be wary of and address right away:

  • Electrical burning odor or metallic odor – Heat accumulation in your furnace might cause an electrical burning odor or a metallic odor. Internal components of your furnace may be damaged, such as electrical wires or worn rubber pieces, and the heat from the furnace is increasing the odor. To avoid further damage or a fire, turn off the system immediately and contact us as soon as possible.
  • Smoke coming from the furnace — If your chimney or vents are blocked, you may notice smoke or hear a smoke detector go off as a result of smoke coming from the heater. The best course of action is to turn off your furnace and then call us for a professional diagnosis.
  • Rotten egg odor — If you smell rotten eggs after turning on your furnace, you may have a gas leak. This could be a mild or strong odor; nevertheless, if it persists, turn off your system and contact the gas supplier. They may send someone to assist you.
  • Chemical odor from furnace – Do not disregard a chemical odor in your home after turning on your heater. If you detect a formaldehyde-like odor, the heat exchanger component may be broken. This requires your rapid attention to avoid a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.

We can help you!

If you smell dangerous odors when you first switch on your heater, it’s time to figure out what’s wrong and fix it as soon as possible. BNG’s skilled specialists can assist you! To learn more about our maintenance and repair services for homeowners and businesses in the Boonville, Evansville, Newburgh, and Richland areas, contact us now.