Smelly Heat

Freda Ferguson

I have an all electric home- it's 18 yrs old. When my heat is running is smells horribly bad-like sewer gas. I had the heater serviced prior to winter and we regularly change our filter. I also had all the plastic pipes changed and the floor drain cleaned that runs under my hot water heater (which is located in my garage directly behind the wall where my furnace is.) I also (last summer) had a new heat pump installed. Our A/C doesn't smell at all. Only the heat. We just don't know what the problem is? Our beuatiful home smells like a toilet! Any ideas because, I'm not getting any answers from the local service companies I have had look at it?

Thanks

scrook_2

as it's all electric...

we can eliminate combustion products (fortunately!), so that probably leaves:

1. sewer gas (which smells like, well, sewer gas)
2. something in the ductwork (it is hot air w/ a central electric furnace and/or heatpump sharing ductwork w/ the A/C?).
3. maybe a dead animal (mouse/bird/bat/etc.) in a wall cavity (or duct).

I'd look at duct cleaning, and I'd look for cracked sewer vent lines (perhaps near ductwork.

What plastic pipes were changed and why -- Sewer lines? Because of the odors? Because of something elce then the odors came?

Does the odor only occur when the heat blower starts? Is it strongest at one or more hot air registers? When did you first notice it?

jim lockard

Peppermint

I am the furthest from a plumber you will find. But if you have a break in the plumbing drain system a peppermint test should prove it true. to perform the test oil of peppermint is poured down the vent pipe from the roof. Should you have a leak in the vent system you will smell peppermint in the house.contact a local plumber for his help. Best Wishes J.Lockard

Grumpy

If your electric heat is in the form of a combination air conditioning/ heating type air handler, with internal heating coils, it is possible that the condensate drain on the unit has gone dry. This will allow odors from the sewers to be pulled back into the airstream and make the house smell .......well, smelly. If the condensate piping spills over a floor drain, make sure there is a water seal in that trap too!

Murph'_4

PROBALY A TRAP SEAL

Water seal where a "trap" is located, could be like the condensate drain from AC. Or it may be a floor drain that dryed out due to low humidity (prerequisite for elec heet) if so, then dump in some cooking oil to make new seal it will not evaporate!!



Murph'

Murph'_4

PROBALY A TRAP SEAL

Water seal where a "trap" is located, could be like the condensate drain from AC. Or it may be a floor drain that dryed out due to low humidity (prerequisite for elec heet) if so, then dump in some cooking oil to make new seal it will not evaporate!!



Murph'

Murph'_4

PROBALY A TRAP SEAL

OOPS!!

Murph'

Mark Hunt

ok Murph!


We got it.

Trap seal.

How many times are you going to say it?

Mark H

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