Strange Smells II
9 years ago
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- 9 years ago
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New Electrical Breakers - Strange Smell
Comments (8)Thanks so much for your reply. I took the old breaker to the hardware store with me, and the person at the store said it was the same, although the screws to hold the connections in were bigger, as was the opening where the connections go into the breaker. Everything else looked identical. He had a hard time getting them to snap into place in the panel, though. He said they were a really tight fit. I noticed when he installed them, he was dabbing some stuff on the connections before he slid them into the new breakers. It was in a bottle that looked almost like an Elmer's Glue bottle. Whatever that is, could that be the source of the smell?...See MoreVery odd development with Reverse Osmosis system - strange smell
Comments (0)I have a system I bought years ago an at internet aquarium supplier, which I've modified over the years. I use the Pentek washable filters. The neighborhood water supply here is extra mucky seeming, so I added a pre-pre-filtering stage a while ago. I now have: 50 micron, 10 micron, 2 micron carbon, and a backup catalytic carbon. The 50 micro catches particles so large they are often discretely visible to the naked eye...that's how bad the water supply here is. Little black bits of rust or whatnot. Today I went to rinse off the 50 micron filter, opened it with my filter wrench and even before pouring it, was hit was a nasty odor. What it resembled is really surprising: 2, 4-D. Yep, the chlorinated herbicide. Not a little strong. Very strong. No normal person would be willing to drink water smelling this way. The water out of the tap, which I brush my teeth with etc., definitely does not smell so bad. It does have a slightly chlorine odor as you would expect. I'm not worried about it being in my final supply, because I have a post-carbon filter after the storage tank. (so it will have gone through 3 carbon filters in addition to the membrane) But I wonder why it is forming. I know the reaction of organic material and chlorine for disinfection can form chlorinated organic compounds. But clearly something else is going on here, locally I mean. I wonder if I have a microorganism living in the fiter housing that is causing this to happen at a higher rate? By feeding off all the junk trapped there, and chlorinating it in the process. (I believe the reason these compounds form at all in munipical water supplies is due to the actions of microorganisms) Anyone seen something like this before, or I should say smelled something like it?...See MoreI thought I smelled something strange in my loft...
Comments (7)Posted in the May 2016 thread! =) The flower is less stinky now, but if you stand nearby it is still very noticeable....See MoreStrange smell, etc.
Comments (15)Here are 5 common HVAC odors and what they indicate. https://www.minisplitwarehouse.com/ 1. Electrical Odors If your HVAC unit smells like it might be overheating, it very well could be. Turn your unit off before attempting to diagnose the problem. First, check the air filter to see if it is very dirty as this can restrict the air flow and overheat the electric resistance heaters. If it’s not an air filter issue, make sure the electricity is turned off at the master switch. A professional HVAC technician will need to check out the problem and make repairs. An electrical odor typically is a problem within the motor or the wiring. Attempting to fix either of these items can result in severe injuries. In the fall, the first few times the heater kicks on, it may emit a burning odor that can smell electrical and dusty. If you are just turning on your heater, this could be a problem which will eventually go away on its own. Give it 20 to 30 minutes and see if the smell dissipates. If it does, it probably was just the dust burning off. If it continues, contact your HVAC technician. Wall HVAC Click Here to View All Through-the-Wall Air Conditioners 2. Rotten Egg Smell Provided there aren’t any rotten eggs in your home, then the smell of rotten eggs or sulfur most likely indicates a natural gas leak. Although on its own, natural gas is odorless, most utility providers add the aroma to alert people of a leak. Don’t take this lightly. Open the windows to your home, get out of the house immediately, then call the gas company. 3. Gas Smell Sometimes, when you first turn on the heater, it can smell like gas is burning. During the summer, dust settles within the HVAC on the heat exchanger. When the furnace is turned on, the dust gets burned off. If the smell isn’t coming from the vents, it’s most likely a leak at a pipe fitting or within the equipment. You should not attempt to fix this problem. Call your HVAC technician to find the leak and make repairs. 4. Musty or Moldy Smell A smell like mildew or mold is probably the most common ailment of HVAC systems. When the AC is running, there is a lot of condensation within the unit. When the moisture doesn’t drain properly, it can escape into the ducts and cause mold. Finding where the mold buildup is and getting it cleaned up will solve the problem. An HVAC technician has the knowledge to handle the problem and ensure that it doesn’t recur. 5. Smell of Oil The smell of oil comes from one of two things. First, look for an oil leak. If you see oil, you may just need to tighten a fitting in the tank, oil line, or filter. While this isn’t a dangerous issue, it does need to be taken care of by a qualified repair technician. It should be noted that a new furnace may emit the burning smell for the first 24 hours of operation, but if the smell continues beyond then you need to call the professionals who installed the unit....See More- 9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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