Is It Normal to Smell Gas Near a Furnace?

Winter nights in Las Cruces, NM, can be downright frigid. You’ll need a reliable furnace to keep your home warm. Most of the time, furnaces operate without any issues. However, you might notice a smell of natural gas if you’re standing next to the furnace. This might give you cause for alarm. Here’s what you need to know about when the odor of natural gas is and isn’t something to be concerned about.

Gas Odor When Heating Cycle Starts

It’s normal to smell the odor of natural gas for a couple of seconds at the start of a heating cycle. The gas supply valve releases the gas, and it takes the ignition or pilot a fraction of a second to ignite it. Once the gas is steadily burning, the gas odor goes away.

Odor Persists During Heating Cycle

If the foul odor of natural gas persists during the entire heating cycle, this isn’t normal. Your furnace may have a problem with the combustion process, combustion chamber, or flue. There could also be a problem with the gas supply, ignition, or pilot. You should get everyone out of your home and make a call for emergency furnace repair services.

Gas Odor All the Time

If you can smell natural gas near the furnace when there’s no heating cycle taking place, this is an emergency. Everyone in your home should evacuate. Once you’re safely away from the structure, make a call to the gas company and for furnace repairs. Your home could have a gas leak, and just one spark could ignite the gas and cause an explosion.

At Aircon Heating & Cooling Inc., our technicians are the trusted providers of furnace repairs in Las Cruces. We’re also available for air conditioning repairs and heating and air conditioning maintenance, installation, and replacement. If you’re a Las Cruces business owner, you can count on us for restaurant equipment repair and commercial HVAC services. To learn more about when it is and isn’t normal to smell gas near a furnace, get in touch with us at Aircon Heating & Cooling Inc. today. We look forward to serving your home comfort needs.