Why Does My Heater Smell Like It’s Burning?

When you’re trying to escape the bitter cold during the winter, nothing is more comforting than coming home to a warm house. But if you come home and notice that your warm ambiance has been interrupted by a suspicious burning smell, you may need to act fast. A burning smell from heaters isn’t uncommon, but they do have implications if left entirely alone for too long. 

At Tim’s Southern Air, you don’t have to worry about bad smells ruining the comfort of your home! We’re the top Lafayette heating company that specializes in air conditioning, heating and air quality, giving us the tools to fix any problems that you have with your HVAC system. We offer anything from repairs to replacements and are your one-stop shop for HVAC services in Louisiana.

Identifying The Burning Smell

There are a handful of reasons you could be experiencing a burning smell coming from your heater. What’s most important is being able to identify why that smell is happening and act accordingly. If you notice a burning smell coming from your heater, it could be one of two things:

Dust From A Dirty Furnace

One of the most common causes of an unwanted smell in your furnace is dust. If you completely turn your furnace off during the summer months, there is a possibility that dust could collect on essential components of your heating unit. Specifically, dust starts to smell bad whenever it builds up on the heat exchanger or the burner. We can also see the same phenomenon on dirty vents and older furnace filters.

What you should do to get rid of dust is wait it out. Most dust smells in furnaces go away within the first 10 minutes. However, if you have been waiting and the smell isn’t going away, it could be more than a dirty furnace.

Electrical Issues

Electrical issues are usually signs that it’s time for professional furnace repair. Wear and tear can break down and fray the wires within your system, causing your blower motor to overheat. This is a dangerous issue to be having, and if your heater is shutting down by itself, it may be a sign of electrical faults. 

If you notice the smell is very sharp and that simple solutions aren’t really working, you should turn off your HVAC system altogether. It’s dangerous to keep the blower motor on and running as it has the risk of catching fire. Contact a technician that you trust to safely repair any electrical problems before continuing to use it. 

Broussard Heater Repair

Routine HVAC maintenance is one of the best ways to keep a burning smell out of your furnace for good. At Tim’s Southern Air Heating and Cooling, we want to be the ones to keep your HVAC systems up and running, no matter what. We offer 24/7 emergency services, meaning you can call us anytime without having to worry about business hours! 

We also champion our “Fixed Right or It’s Free” guarantee. If you’re not satisfied, the service is free of charge and we will come back and make it right! Customer service and HVAC problems aren’t a worry if you work with Tim’s Southern Air. Visit our website or give us a call today to learn more!