The winter season is approaching or is already here; you and your family have had a furnace set up to get warm during the season. You light your furnace, and you catch a whiff of burning plastic, and now you’re concerned. New furnaces tend to smell, which could be a reason for that.
Causes of burning plastic smell in a furnace
Experts at Anderson Air give some reasons for the smell of burning plastic in your home. These include;
A Protective Finish
When an HVAC specialist installs your furnace, a protective finish is put on specific components to avoid rust. These may include the heat exchanger that gets rid of gases like carbon monoxide created naturally during the heating process.
The first few times your furnace operates, this coat could emit a burning smell, making the new furnace smell like burning plastic. You can expect this, but the smell should disappear the longer your furnace runs.
To be safe, open your windows as carbon monoxide is dangerous to your health, and if this smell persists, you’ll need to contact an HVAC company.
Dust
An unavoidable enemy of every furnace is dust. It can accumulate on the inside of your furnace when your furnace isn’t in use, like in the hot summer season. Then in the fall, when you light your furnace, the dust will burn off, creating a burning plastic smell. However, this smell usually disappears within a short time.
Your furnace must get service. Servicing keeps your valuable manufacturer’s warranty valid, keeps your furnace dust-free, and allows it to run as expected during the winter season.
Electrical Burning
A new furnace smells like burning plastic when electrical burning takes place.
A furnace should be able to turn itself off when it adequately heats up. On the contrary, if this doesn’t happen, this is a sign that the unit’s safety feature needs fixing.
With the safety feature malfunctioning, your furnace could cause an electrical fire, and this is a significant safety hazard for you and your family. Get an HVAC specialist to look for burning electrical parts if a burning electrical smell is coming from your vents.
Dirty Furnace Filter
When filters trap particles like dust, pollen, and airborne substances, your filter clogs up. Eventually, filters fill up with dust, and this dust recirculates through your system, creating that foul smell.
You must check air filters often while replacing the clogged ones. Purchase extra air filters for easier replacement. Replacing your air filters when due will extend your furnace’s lifespan.
An Overworked Blower Motor
Whenever your furnace filter is grimy or your ventilation lines are clogged up, your furnace overheating is imminent. Blocked air return ducts cause poor airflow, preventing cool air from circulating into the air conditioning system.
The instant this happens, heat can become trapped within the furnace, which overheats parts like your heat exchanger and blower motor. When your furnace overheats, the system creates a burning smell, making you think the new furnace smells like burning plastic. Over time, the system accumulates so much heat that it can make your heat exchanger crack, which allows carbon monoxide to get into your home.
When your furnace overheats, please check and replace any dirty air filters as that could be the cause of your problems. Make it a point to open all the vents in your home to check for obstruction and that you’ve set your thermostat to a reasonable heat setting.
Suppose your filters are clean, and your vents are open without obstruction and functioning as they should; then, there could be a more serious underlying condition within your system. You ought to call an HVAC specialist to thoroughly inspect your furnace.
Five Other Furnace Smells You Shouldn’t Ignore
While it’s uncommon for a brand new furnace to require system repair, it could happen. Therefore, we’ve put together a list of odors you should watch out for and what they might mean.
The smell of burning rubber
If your brand new furnace smells like burning plastic, then it can also smell like burning rubber. If your furnace smells like burning rubber, it is likely that you have an electrical malfunction. Electrical wiring is insulated in plastic or rubber to protect against shocks and short circuits. Therefore, this smell indicates heat melting this protective plastic or rubber. Please turn off your furnace immediately and get it inspected by an HVAC specialist to prevent any fires.
A smell of gas or rotten eggs
Usually, most gas companies add sulfur to natural gas to alert you of gas leakage. If your furnace smells like gas or rotten eggs, promptly turn it off, evacuate your premises, and dial 911. Short-term and long-term exposure to natural gas will make you ill, and natural gas is highly flammable.
A Musty smell
If your furnace smells somewhat musty, you could have mold and mildew growing in your vents. We suggest you have your ducts thoroughly inspected and cleaned where necessary.
The Smell of Gunpowder
No, there isn’t gunpowder in your furnace. This smell results from the circuit board in your furnace overheating. It will give off an odor similar to the smell of gunpowder. Overheating also applies to an overheating fan motor.
Shut off the furnace the moment you smell anything like gunpowder. Call a licensed HVAC service company to visit your home and make the necessary repairs. Do not turn your furnace back on until the HVAC technician gives you the go-ahead.
The Smell of Oil or Smoke
Oil furnaces often emit an odor similar to that of smoke or oil. In this type of furnace, you’ll need to change the oil filter to prevent overheating. If the smell persists, do not hesitate to reach out to an HVAC licensed technician to diagnose and repair the issue.
Conclusion
As you calmly wait on the HVAC licensed technician to rectify the cause of the burning smell in your new furnace, turn your furnace off and do not turn it on again until all the necessary repairs are complete. Turning your furnace off is important because it could catch fire if you insist on running it, endangering you and your family.
