Imagine this: It is the first chilly day after months of warm weather. You decide that it is time to make the switch from using your air conditioning to your heater. So you set your thermostat and click it on. You settle down into your chair, grab your book, and begin to relax. Then, you notice a burning smell. Looking around, you realise it is coming from your heater.
Before you panic, you should know that there are reasons why you smell burning from your heater. This article will walk you through these reasons.
Dirty Filters
You have to change your air filter once a month. It is really easy to do, just take the old one out and throw it away, then replace it with the new one. Or, if you have a filter that can be reused, all you need to do it give it a wash, let it completely dry off and reattach it. What happens is that the dust gets hot and begins to burn away. While it won’t cause your home to catch fire, it will cause your motor to go out, and give your home a burning smell.
Time to Check your vents
If there are too many closed vents in your home, it can cause the smell of burning to go through the vents that are open. You should take the time to go through each room and see if you have more closed vents than open ones. If there are rooms you don’t use, try leaving the vent open, but directing the vent back towards the rooms that you do use.
You need a checkup
Well not you, your system needs a routine check-up. Sometimes that burning smell can be the smell of a belt getting used for the first time. That is normal. However, it can also mean that a belt could be going out. Usually, if the smell doesn’t go away within an hour or so, you have bigger problems, and you need to get someone out to check it out.
When to Panic
If you start looking for the smell and you notice that the closer you get to the unit, the stronger it gets, you need to turn it off immediately and call a professional. It could mean that your motor is weighed down with dust. You may need to replace it or your unit.
If you smell rotten eggs or sulfur, then you are leaking electrical fluid, and this can be very dangerous. It can cause a fire or worse. You should immediately shut it down and do not turn it back on until a professional can do it.
Replacing your unit
When it is time to replace your unit, Apex Air Conditioning can help. They offer you solutions based on what you need. They will not try to sell you something that isn’t in your budget. No matter what your question about your system installation is, Apex will be honest and help you to get the answers that you need. While a little burning smell is completely normal, you shouldn’t have to worry that your house is on fire.
Contact Apex Airconditioning today to learn more about how we can help you replace your old air conditioning unit.