Gas heater - packaged unit: weird smells
#1
02-15-23, 02:34 PM
Gas heater - packaged unit: weird smells
Need your help! Lennox package unit - gas, 6 years old, outside. Last winter was tripping off, reset the breaker, work for a couple hours then would trip off. Spring hit and planned to tackle in the Fall of 2022 . Fall 2022, replaced the sensors thinking it was bad sensors. Still had trip problem but got this horrible smell (mechanical/metalic) when it did work, comes through ALL registers. Only smells with Heat, no smell with A/C. Had 3 different HVAC companies come couldn't figure it out, internet said heat exchanger hole can give off odor and last HVAC company finally found a hole in the heat exchanger. Had the blower replaced first, wasn't that - still had the smell, finally got the new heat exchanger today from Lennox (took 5 months and was hopeful but STILL have the smell. HVAC said give it a few days as it could be just new heat exchanger smell but its the exact same smell. So frustrating. Replaced blower and heat exchanger - whats left to replace in that unit other than the coils which arent used in heating process? Any ideas. Going to have my ducts cleaned to see if it could be something in there. Thanks for taking the time to read and for any ideas!
#2
02-15-23, 04:08 PM
Group Moderator
Welcome to the forums.
You said gas furnace. Not sure what would be tripping the circuit breaker off.
Or do you mean the furnace faulted, wouldn't heat and you turned the breaker off and on ?
A six year old heat exchanger should offer no odor.
A hole in it would allow CO in which is an odorless gas.
You may have smelled the fumes from burning natural gas but it should be no different
than standing next to your gas oven after you've just turned it on.
The new heat exchanger is going to be coated in oil.
It will smell for a couple of days. That I know.
You said gas furnace. Not sure what would be tripping the circuit breaker off.
Or do you mean the furnace faulted, wouldn't heat and you turned the breaker off and on ?
A six year old heat exchanger should offer no odor.
A hole in it would allow CO in which is an odorless gas.
You may have smelled the fumes from burning natural gas but it should be no different
than standing next to your gas oven after you've just turned it on.
The new heat exchanger is going to be coated in oil.
It will smell for a couple of days. That I know.
