Natural gas smell when heat kicks on

[Silock]

It comes and goes. I only smell it when the heat first comes on, it lasts for a few moments and then disappears. I don't smell anything near the furnace, but instead in the upstairs living room. I've checked that all the vents are open, and the burners are all working inside the furnace. Air filter is clean and replaced.

What am I missing? Should I just bite the bullet and call an HVAC tech?

[Johnny Vegas]

don't power companies do gas inspections for free? I know mine does. I had to do it when the regulator/meter outside was damaged from my neighbors as they were demo'ing a house. They came fixed it and checked everything until it was safe all for no cost.

[Dave Lane]

Call the gas company tell them you smell gas they will send a tech over asap

[bevischief]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Call the gas company tell them you smell gas they will send a tech over asap

I was painting my house over the 4th of July weekend and smelled gas by the meter they had a tech out in about a hour to replace it.

[EagleRob]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Call the gas company tell them you smell gas they will send a tech over asap

This

[Ace Gunner]

there is an exhaust vent that goes to the roof. you might get up there and check for blockage. more than likely, the problem is within that vent run.

[Rambozo]

Check the ignitor. Turn off the heat and go down and watch it start. Does it take several tries? If so, sometimes you can just clean it with a dollar bill and it will work. There are videos on you tube. I just had this problem.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by Rambozo

Check the ignitor. Turn off the heat and go down and watch it start. Does it take several tries? If so, sometimes you can just clean it with a dollar bill and it will work. There are videos on you tube. I just had this problem.

Thats gotta be sum of the dumbest advice I've ever read in the history of the internet !

How in the **** are you going to clean your furnace with a $1

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

Thats gotta be sum of the dumbest advice I've ever read in the history of the internet !

How in the **** are you going to clean your furnace with a $1

You are not really. You MIGHT knock off a build up of carbon on a spark ignitor but if it is a glow ignitor and you touch the ceramic you just as well to throw it away.

[A Salt Weapon]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

You are not really. You MIGHT knock off a build up of carbon on a spark ignitor but if it is a glow ignitor and you touch the ceramic you just as well to throw it away.

That's what I was taught too, however I was flipping through one of my vendors catalogs the other day and it had a reference to that being a myth started by the igniter companies to keep techs from touching them.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by A Salt Weapon

That's what I was taught too, however I was flipping through one of my vendors catalogs the other day and it had a reference to that being a myth started by the igniter companies to keep techs from touching them.

I don't believe it is a myth for a couple of reasons. A lot of times the ceramic ignitors are in a tougher position to replace than spark/electronic ignitors since they have to be in line with the gas flow into the exchanger. If you could touch them and get away with it your time to do the change would be half. During some of the training that I received from Carrier there was a video where they showed 2 ceramic ignitors next to each other in the same frame. The narrator touched one and of course not the other. You could easily see the darker spots in the glowing area of the ceramic where the one was touched. It lasted for less than 200 cycles. They are suppose to last for more than 200,000 cycles. I was convinced to say the least.

[Silock]

Igniter is fine. Just watched it. And this time, no smell of gas. Ugh. I'll check the exhaust vent.

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by Silock

Igniter is fine. Just watched it. And this time, no smell of gas. Ugh. I'll check the exhaust vent.

It could be a lot of things. There may be a leak in one of the connecting unions in your gas process line, an exhaust vent issue, or something else.

If you have ANY doubt, call the gas company and tell them you smell gas. They will be out quickly at no charge with a sniffer. I own one that I use for various gas applications at refineries, but that's not going to do you any good being hundreds of miles away. Like I said if you have even the slightest thought there may be a leak, call the gas company.

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by Bwana

It could be a lot of things. There may be a leak in one of the connecting unions in your gas process line, an exhaust vent issue, or something else.

If you have ANY doubt, call the gas company and tell them you smell gas. They will be out quickly at no charge with a sniffer. I own one that I use for various gas applications at refineries, but that's not going to do you any good being hundreds of miles away. Like I said if you have even the slightest thought there may be a leak, call the gas company.

This. Don't **** with it. The gas company wants to know anytime you smell gas.

[Ace Gunner]

Originally Posted by Bwana

It could be a lot of things. There may be a leak in one of the connecting unions in your gas process line, an exhaust vent issue, or something else.

If you have ANY doubt, call the gas company and tell them you smell gas. They will be out quickly at no charge with a sniffer. I own one that I use for various gas applications at refineries, but that's not going to do you any good being hundreds of miles away. Like I said if you have even the slightest thought there may be a leak, call the gas company.

if there were a gas line leak, the fumes would be omnipresent 24/7.