Is sulfur smell in house dangerous?

Hydrogen sulfide can occur in groundwater, as a natural result of decayed vegetation, and it can create a mild or strong sulfur odor, depending on the percentage of hydrogen sulfide present. While the smell is off-putting, it’s not considered hazardous to your health to use or drink.

What is the smell coming from my furnace?

When you haven’t used your furnace for a while, your furnace might smell like a damp, dusty, or musty basement. This musty smell occurs when dust, dirt, and other debris collect on your unit and in your air ducts. As your furnace warms, the dust and dirt may burn away and smell faintly of smoke.

Why does my house smell like sulfur?

The two most common sources for rotten egg smell in the home are electrical components (inside of outlets for example) or a natural gas leak. Natural gas manufacturers are required to add a chemical, called mercaptan, to their gas in order to make it easier to detect a leak.

What does it mean if you smell Sulphur?

Rotten Eggs The two most common sources of a rotten egg smell are a natural gas leak, and escaping sewer gas. That’s why utility companies inject a substance called mercaptan, which emits an odor that smells like sulfur or rotten eggs. If there’s a very strong smell, you could have a substantial natural gas leak.

Why does my heater smell like eggs?

If you notice a rotten egg or sulfur smell after turning on your furnace, this is a very serious concern. You may have a natural gas leak in your home. Natural gas is odorless, so a harmless chemical (mercaptan) is added to give natural gas an odor, so you can easily detect a gas leak.

Why does my house smell like rotten garbage?

So why does your house smell like rotting garbage? Simply put, the most likely culprit is hidden garbage somewhere, and you should look for unusual places it may reside, like the kitchen sink and under kitchen appliances. Beyond that, it may be a more serious issue, like a gas leak.

What does the smell of a furnace mean?

Common Furnace Smells 1 Gas Smell. This one is pretty straightforward: if you smell sulfur or rotten egg odor coming from your furnace or vents, you may have a natural gas issue. 2 Dusty Burning Smell. 3 Moldy, Damp, or Funky Smell. 4 Chemical/Burning Plastic Furnace Smells. …

Why does my furnace smell like rotten egg?

Here are four different furnace smells and what you might want to do about them! This one is pretty straightforward: if you smell sulfur or rotten egg odor coming from your furnace or vents, you may have a natural gas issue. Regardless of whether the smell comes from your vents or from the furnace itself, shut the unit off immediately.

What should you do if your furnace has a metallic smell?

If you notice electrical smells or metallic smells coming from your furnace, you need to shut it off immediately and not continue running it, even if it’s cold outside and in your home. Call your service provider for a repair as soon as you can, and once the furnace has been fixed,…

How long does it take for furnace smell to go away?

This is very normal and you will generally notice that the smell goes away within a few hours. However, if the dusty burning smell from the furnace doesn’t dissipate quickly after turning your furnace on for the first time of the season, there are some things you can do on your own to try and fix it.

Why does propane and natural gas have a sulfur smell?

Natural gas and propane are odorless, but gas companies inject them with a chemical called mercaptan that gives them a sulfur smell—like rotten eggs—to alert residents to a gas leak. A small gas leak could create the occasional foul odor you’re noticing, so don’t take any chances.

Why does my heating system smell like sulfur?

If it smells sulfur or like a match has just been lit, there could be an electrical failure or mechanical issue in the heating system. Your circuit board could have a short. While this is not very serious, it would not be wise to take chances. A small mechanical or electrical issue could become a much larger one if it is not attended to right away.

Can a small gas leak cause a sulfur smell?

A small gas leak could create the occasional foul odor you’re noticing, so don’t take any chances. Any time you notice a sulfur smell, suspect a gas leak first. The utility company or fire department will come right out and test your home.