Because the gases inside your heating system are flammable and dangerous to inhale, smelling gas from your heater in Forsyth, IL, can signal an emergency situation. Possible causes include cobwebs and dust, back-draft, and a cracked heat exchanger.
Cobwebs and Dust
If you’re turning on the heater for the first time after summer, the faint gas smell is probably just cobwebs and dust burning. This isn’t a reason for concern. You can contact a heating repair company if you want to have absolute peace of mind that there’s no gas leak.
If the gas smell is strong or doesn’t go away, then you’ll definitely need to call in an HVAC technician. This means there’s a gas leak.
We recommend that you schedule heating maintenance before turning on the heater for the cold season. During maintenance, we clean out the dust and debris and inspect the system for worn or damaged parts.
Back-Draft
Combustion gases can leak into the house instead of exiting it when something is wrong with the exhaust flue. The exhaust flue can break or become disconnected, which would result in gases leaking.
There’s nothing you can do to fix a back-draft issue on your own. You’ll need to call a professional.
Cracked Heat Exchanger
The heat exchanger is responsible for heating the air that circulates throughout your home. Despite its role, the heat exchanger can overheat and crack. Because gases go inside the heat exchanger, you’ll have a gas leak when it cracks.
You can prevent cracks in the heat exchanger by changing the air filter every month and scheduling heating maintenance every year. A dirty air filter is an overheating risk for your heating system. Lack of heating maintenance also increases the likelihood of your unit overheating.
Gas leaks are dangerous, so contact Tica, Inc. Heating and Cooling immediately for heater repairs if you smell gas when running your system in Forsyth, IL. We’re available 24/7 for emergencies like gas leaks.
Image provided by iStock
