If you have noticed an odour coming from your ducted heating system, it is vital that you have ducted heater maintenance to be carried out as soon as possible. There are no situations where having a ducted heater 'smell' is a good thing. Here, we want to run you through some of the reasons as to why a ducted system could smell.
1. Gas Leak
This, of course, only applies if your ducted heater runs on gas. Gas leaks are never a good thing. Poor heater maintenance can lead to breaks in the pipework and failing components. If you start to smell gas coming from your ducted heater, then you need to switch it off immediately and call in a ducted heater repair professional. A gas leak could lead to an explosion.
2. Burned Out Components
If you notice a 'burning' smell coming from your system, then there is a chance that some of the components have burned out. If you continue to run the system at this point, then you will be running the risk of burning out even more components, and this can lead to costly repairs.
Due to the way that ducted heating systems work, the burned-out components could be coming from anywhere in the system. It is important that you do not try to diagnose the problem yourself, only a ducted heater service expert will be able to go through every part of the system to ensure that all of the burned-out components have been caught.
If you have a regular service carried out on your heater (at least once a year), then it is unlikely you will ever have to deal with burned out components.
3. Dust in the Filter
This may also have a 'burned' smell, although it probably will not be as intense as burned-out components. If the filters on your systems are clogged, then there will be a distinctive odour. Again, this is a problem that can be alleviated by having your system go through regular service.
4. Mildew or Mold
Heaters create warm environments. This means that they are the perfect place for mold or mildew to grow. So, if you notice a mildew smell coming from your heater, then this could indicate that has happened. Once again, this is a problem that is unlikely to occur if you have your system serviced.
Having mildew or mold blown around your property is not a good thing. It will spread the problem around your home. It isn't particularly healthy to breathe in any of those spores either.
5. Dead Animals
This shouldn't be a major problem for most people. However, animals are known for crawling into the ducts of heating systems. If they die there, the corpse will start to rot. This smell will then be spread around the home. Luckily, removing the corpse and giving the system a good clean often removes the bad smell.
Remember, no matter the cause of the smell from your system, it is important that you do not try to deal with the problem yourself. Instead, contact our heater service professional. This way we can really get to the source of the problem and ensure that it is fixed. Call us on 1300 100 040.