This article describes lists sources of smells that are traced to hvac systems such as air conditioners heating boilers furnaces duct systems heat pumps and water heaters.
New heating system smell.
For example there may be bad wiring in your air conditioner wiring or your motor may be burning out.
Over the warmer months when the heat is not in use the dust from your home can settle in the vents and around the heating elements or combustion chamber in your furnace.
One of the most common odors you could smell in your hvac system is a burning electrical smell.
If you are just turning on your heater this could be a problem which will eventually go away on its own.
In the fall the first few times the heater kicks on it may emit a burning odor that can smell electrical and dusty.
An air conditioner smells like mildew or mold is probably the most common symptom of central hvac systems.
When the moisture doesn t drain properly it can escape into the ducts and create mold.
Give it 20 to 30 minutes and see if the smell dissipates.
If the smell lingers over time or gets worse turn off your unit and call your heating and cooling expert for emergency maintenance.
Heating air conditioning system odor causes cures.
Smells blamed on heating systems that use ductwork may actually be coming from something contaminating the ducts or may be simply transported from another.
Natural gas is odorless but suppliers treat the gas with a strong rotten egg smell to make gas leaks more detectable.
A must or mildew smell coming from your heater is usually a sign of mold or mildew in either your heating system or ductwork.
Step 1 turn on your heating system and let it run for a few minutes if the smell is a mild burning smell if this is the first time the heat has been turned on this season.
One of the most common causes of high efficiency hvac odor is moisture that has spawned mold.
If it does it probably was just the dust burning off.
The smell of sulfur or rotten eggs almost always indicates an issue with gas supply.
Electrical odors can have a variety of causes.