Winters in Rochester, MN, are long, cold and snowy. You’ll need a reliable furnace to keep your home comfortable. If you notice the odor of natural gas near your furnace, you may become concerned. Here’s what you need to know about when this odor is and isn’t normal and what you should do about the situation.
Odor at the Start of a Heating Cycle
The only time you should detect the odor of natural gas is at the beginning of a heating cycle. The odor should be faint, and it should go away within a couple of seconds. This stench occurs because it takes the pilot or ignition a fraction of a second to ignite the gas. Once the gas is burning in the combustion chamber, the smell should dissipate quickly.
Gas Smell Persisting During a Heating Cycle
It’s not normal for the gas odor to persist during a heating cycle. If it does, your furnace may have a problem with the combustion process. There could also be a gas leak or some other issue. These problems require professional attention from our skilled technicians.
Strong or Widespread Gas Odors in Your Home
If the smell of gas is strong when you’re standing by your furnace at the start of a heating cycle, this isn’t normal. If you can smell a strong gas odor at any time or anywhere in your home, get out as quickly as possible. Once everyone has evacuated from your home, call for emergency furnace repairs. You may also need the gas company to come to your home to check for a possible gas leak.
Unitedly Service Group is the trusted provider of furnace repairs in Rochester. You can also turn to us for air conditioning repairs and heating and air conditioning installation, replacement and maintenance. Our indoor air quality solutions, water heaters and zoning systems are designed with your comfort in mind. For more information about when it is and is not normal to smell gas near your furnace in Rochester, get in touch with us at Unitedly Service Group.