There are certain odors that are never desirable in virtually any location, especially your home’s HVAC system, and one chief candidate here is the sensation of a burning odor coming from your furnace. There are actually a few different things that may be causing this smell, some that are relatively minor in nature and others that may signal a significant concern.

At Lee’s Heating and Air, we’re happy to offer a wide range of furnace maintenance and repairs for our clients in Salt Lake City and nearby parts of Utah, helping you deal with any issue that may come up within this vital component. What are some of the possible causes of a burning odor coming from the furnace, and what needs to be done about it — either on your own or with the help of our team? Here’s a simple rundown.

Burning Off Dust

In some cases, particularly if you’ve only recently started up your furnace for the cold season in the last few weeks or months, the smell may actually just be that of dust burning off in the system. This dust builds up for a simple reason: Your furnace sits unused for months at a time during the summer, and in most cases homeowners don’t take the time to actively clean it off.

This is a simple and totally normal process, but you can help minimize it if you plan to switch your furnace on for an extended period of time (such as all day). Simply turn your blower to “On” mode instead of turning your fan off. This doesn’t just help keep the dust off your system — it helps to circulate fresh air through your home, while also keeping the furnace clean and free of excess dust build-up.

Overheating Issues

During normal furnace operations, your furnace has a safety feature that’s meant to stop it from operating if it begins to overheat. This is a good thing, as it helps keep your furnace from burning itself out and potentially causing fire damage in the process.

However, it’s possible for this sensor to wear down or become unresponsive over time, and in some cases this can result in the furnace continuing to run even if it’s overheating. The smell will then be coming from the overheated motor or blower itself, and this requires specialized service to address.

If you’re noticing a burning odor but aren’t sure whether your furnace is currently overheating, make sure that it has enough clearance around it, and that there aren’t any objects on the floor or other surfaces close to the unit. If you’re still having trouble, give our team a call for help today.

Malfunctioning Thermostat

In some cases, a burning odor may also be coming from your furnace’s thermostat rather than its actual internal components. This is often the result of improper leveling, and in particular if you’ve had to replace your batteries recently or do any other work that involves opening up your thermostat itself.

Fortunately, this is usually an easy problem to solve on your own, simply by adjusting the level at which it sits against the wall or similar surface. If you’re still having trouble even after this, simply give our team a call for help.

Air Filter Clogs

In other cases, the burning smell won’t actually be coming from your furnace at all, but rather from the air filter itself. This is extremely common, and happens because your furnace’s blower essentially forces all of the air in your home through this single filter surface.

If you’re noticing that your furnace is burning off a lot of dust, it may be helpful to try using a higher quality air filter than what came with your system. It’s also possible that you haven’t been changing or cleaning this filter as regularly as you should be, and if this culprit is to blame, simply make sure that you’re cleaning or replacing your air filter on a regular basis.

Foreign Object

If the burning smell you’re picking up has a distinct tone of plastic or other strong chemical smell, there’s a chance that it may actually be coming from some foreign object getting stuck inside your furnace itself. This is often the case with small pets or other objects that get trapped inside, and in many cases this can be addressed simply by turning off your system immediately and calling our team for help. In addition to this, it’s a good idea to take steps to keep your furnace area clear of excess clutter as well.

Fan Motor Problems

If the burning odor has more of a gunpowder or electrical smell to it, there’s a good chance that you’re noticing the effects of a malfunctioning fan motor. This is a serious problem that can quickly lead to fire damage if left unchecked, and as such it’s important to call our team for help immediately.

In addition to this, another sign of a possible fan motor issue will be that your unit’s fan will be spinning slowly or not at all when you turn it back on. If this is happening, shut off your system immediately and call our team to come inspect this issue as soon as possible.

It’s important to keep in mind that most furnaces are built with safety features that help prevent major problems like this from occurring, but even so it’s important to be aware of the different factors that could cause your system to overheat. If you’re concerned about any potential furnace issues and are looking for help with getting them resolved, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team today.

For more on this, or to learn about any of our furnace repair or other HVAC solutions for SLC and nearby clients, speak to our team at Lee’s Heating and Air today.