It's so cold outside! Turned on the heater & it smells funky What's that smell??

@schulzie (4061)
United States
January 4, 2012 7:33am CST
Brr! It's so cold outside! I live in South Florida and we've been having a cold snap for the past several days here. It's been into the lower 30's at night (it usually only gets down to the low 50's at night here) So this morning it was at 38 degrees, but with the winds and the wind chill factor it was down to a "feels like" of 33 degrees. I had to turn the heater on for the first time just now. Being that I just turned on the heater for the first time in say 2 years, there is this peculiar smell going through the house now. It is the smell you always notice when you turn the heater on for the first time after a long period of not using it. I'm not sure exactly what that smell might be, but I am assuming that heaters usually have a burnt smell the first time they are turned on after a long period of time of no use because it is burning off dust or something to that effect. What do you think? Is it dust burning off on the heating coils? I'm hoping it's not dangerous to be breathing that stuff in. I've never had any adverse effects from doing so in the past, it's just stinky for a little while. Well, have a great day, stay warm, and happy myLotting!!!
4 people like this
12 responses
Heather Echola
@GardenGerty (157546)
• United States
4 Jan 12
Around here those temperatures are considered unseasonably warm. It is the weather we are having right now. Funny how all the temps are the same. I am not sure what causes the smell, but I get it here first thing in the fall as well. It is like the metal heating up or as you say, dust burning off. I have never had a problem with it either.
2 people like this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
5 Jan 12
You must be north of me, but from where I live I guess most everyone in the United States is. It's just so cold for us here this week. And you're right - it seems many areas in the U.S. right now are having similar temperatures these past few days. Thanks for your response!
1 person likes this
Heather Echola
@GardenGerty (157546)
• United States
5 Jan 12
Yep, I live right in the middle of Kansas. It may get up to almost 70 today, and that is odd.
1 person likes this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
6 Jan 12
I have family in Kansas myself. That would explain the cold weather then. Enjoy your nice warm day today!
1 person likes this
Lakota12
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
6 Jan 12
I suppose it is just the dust like the stove in the new house its gas but when we first used it smelled to me like it had never been used and I know the people that lived here was in it for about 8 months before they trashed it Did they always microwave? I bet thats all they did
1 person likes this
Lakota12
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
7 Jan 12
I hear ya we have had 7 people in the house of and on for year and just got rid of 2 again so we are down to the 4 of us again we now have the new house to ourselves lolololl so our stove dont lay still eithr
1 person likes this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
6 Jan 12
You're probably right. Some people don't ever use their kitchen. My stove is never sitting around that long that it gathers dust, not with 6 people to feed and 1 income to do it on! Thanks for your response!
cher913
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
4 Jan 12
if you havent had it on for some time, you are probably right, its just the dust. that should only take a couple of minutes before its gone.
1 person likes this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
6 Jan 12
Yes, the smell was gone within a couple hours. I don't care for the smell though. But I am happy that I have a functioning heater, so I can deal with the smell as long as it's not harming me. Thanks for your response!
jillhill
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
4 Jan 12
I also think it's dust and things that have accumulated since the last time you used it. Mine smells that way every year when I turn it on....
1 person likes this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
6 Jan 12
I remember when I lived in California and we had natural gas that the heater actually smelled worse in my opinion. We had an old floor furnace and I remember the smell from back then too. Thanks for your response!
dorannmwin
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
8 Jan 12
I know exactly the smell that you are talking about because it is something that we have to smell once a year when it is time to turn our furnace on for the first time after the spring, summer and fall. I do tend to believe that the smell that the furnace has the first time that it is turned on is the smell of dust that is being burned off of the furnace and even in the ventilation of the house. It is a pretty bad smell, so I will typically first turn on the furnace on a day where I'm able to have the windows of the house open so that I'm not too exposed to it.
1 person likes this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
12 Jan 12
That's a good idea. I often wonder if it's really safe to be inhaling those fumes. I'm still here so I guess it can't be that harmful, but still... Thanks for your comment and have a great day!
julsie
@julsie (70)
•
5 Jan 12
sounds like dust
1 person likes this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
6 Jan 12
Yep, I think I have ruled that to be true. Thanks for your response!
KrauseHome
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
3 Feb 12
Well, we have it too in a couple of the rooms in our house, and I am sure it is because they have not been used for a while. Ours even makes a little noise for a little bit as well until they warm up. Here it has been nicer than normal most of the time so we have been able to turn ours down most of the winter as well.
moonlitmagikchild
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
1 Feb 12
i think its dust if its an electric one. at least thats what i was always told
soyporteno
@soyporteno (406)
• United States
4 Jan 12
Man that's cold for Florida! I've really never been in an area where they have a true "Winter" so I know how you feel. If it gets below 62 degrees my heater comes on. But anyways, yeah...I think that smell is dust burning away. It's gotta go somewhere. I wouldn't worry about it though, I've been smelling that smell for years now and I'm still ok. Hope it gets warmer for you soon.
1 person likes this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
5 Jan 12
Yep, I don't like very cold weather that's for sure. It was so nice to have the heater on for a while today to make the place nice and toasty. Thanks for your response!
bookreadermom08
@bookreadermom08 (5614)
• United States
4 Jan 12
I know what you are talking about... when it comes to fall time and we are going to be turning on our heater here (in Michigan) i will go out and buy a filter that has a febreeze scent to it and change the filter so that when we turn it on the first couple times the house smells great....granted we use our heater every year so we may not get that much of a build up of dust. Its 23 here this morning, and soooo cold!! I am going to start a countdown to spring!! LOL Stay Warm and have a great day!!
1 person likes this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
6 Jan 12
I've never used a filter that has a scent to it. We use the air conditioner almost 350 days a year here in Florida. I wonder if that would smell good in the air conditioner? I'm with you on the countdown to Spring! Thanks for your response!
hvedra
@hvedra (1619)
•
4 Jan 12
It's probably just dust which is common when a heater hasn't been switched on for a while. Is it an electric heater or something else? The really dangerous thing, carbon monoxide which affects gas heaters, is odourless so if you can smell it it isn't that! It should go after a while but if it doesn't or there's smoke it might be a good idea to get the appliance checked over.
1 person likes this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
5 Jan 12
It is an electric heater. We don't have gas here in Florida. I used to have gas in California where I'm originally from. I'm pretty sure it was dust. Thanks for your response!
1 person likes this
trinkabelle
@trinkabelle (432)
•
4 Jan 12
when the dust gathers inside a heater this usually occurs, so that is what the smell is, the smell will go away once the dust is burned away. it happens here too when i don't use the heating, the dust gathers and burns when the heat is on
1 person likes this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
6 Jan 12
Well, when you think about it, dust gets in everywhere - even inside a heater. And it has to go somewhere so when it gets to a certain point it just gets incinerated and burns up. Thanks for your response!