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bethelson · Dec 11, 2008, 07:09 PM

We use propane to heat our home and our heat is a heatpump type system. This year since turning it on because it's cold here it is giving off a heavy sweet smell. I liken it to a car exhaust type of smell. I have a carbon monoxide alarm in my home and it is not being set off. But the smell is driving me crazy because it's so heavy and powerful in here. I almost haite to turn the heat on. :eek::eek::confused:

KingJasper05 · Dec 11, 2008, 07:16 PM

Call an HVAC guy. Your health is too important to mess around with. Your health and the others forming the We you spoke of.

letmetellu · Dec 11, 2008, 08:14 PM

I would also call the propane provider, he may know more about the liquid gas than the HVAC man.

greghvacguy · Dec 11, 2008, 08:18 PM

Call you HVAC man!! After you turn it off and leave the house...

KC13 · Dec 11, 2008, 08:55 PM

You mentioned propane... and heat pump. Is this a dual-fuel/hybrid system? If so, check for oil coming from the indoor coil drain. You may have sprung a refrigerant leak and the oil is aromatic when heated.

bethelson · Dec 11, 2008, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by KC13

You mentioned propane...and heat pump. Is this a dual-fuel/hybrid system? If so, check for oil coming from the indoor coil drain. You may have sprung a refrigerant leak and the oil is aromatic when heated.

As far as I know it is the same system that gives us our air conditioner in the summer. And it has had a slow leak for several years now. My husband simply gets freon from someone he works with (He tries to "sniff" out the leak with a sniffer type tool and hasn't ever found it.) So he simply fills it up every spring before we have to use it. So maybe this is the problem. When you go outside and the heat is running it is so strong even with the wind blowing you can smell the smell outside the house also!:(

bethelson · Dec 12, 2008, 08:10 AM

[QUOTE=bethelson;1423786]As far as I know it is the same system that gives us our air conditioner in the summer. And it has had a slow leak for several years now. My husband simply gets freon from someone he works with (He tries to "sniff" out the leak with a sniffer type tool and hasn't ever found it.) So he simply fills it up every spring before we have to use it. So maybe this is the problem. When you go outside and the heat is running it is so strong even with the wind blowing you can smell the smell outside the house also!:([/QUOTE[/I]

Hey everyone, I'm back with more info that is more correct. My husband says it is not a heat pump that does our ac/heat system for our house. He says we have a "gas pack" type and the fuel is propane. He insists that everything is fine. I will be calling our propane guy and see what he says today. I think hubby is worried that it will cost a lot to have the guy come and see what's wrong and fix it. But in the meantime I'm thinking we may be dying due to whatever is coming in the house to make that awful smell! :eek::D

KingJasper05 · Dec 12, 2008, 09:02 AM

Don't die. Come back and let us know what's up.

KC13 · Dec 12, 2008, 01:11 PM

Maybe you should check the unit for deceased squatters (a.k.a. dead wildlife).

bethelson · Dec 12, 2008, 05:17 PM

Hi! Well, it's relly not a "dead thing" type of smell at all. And because I have smelled dead animals in my life. It's a sweet, heavy exhausty type smell. Like when a woman has too much perfume on. Only it's not a "perfumey" pretty smell. I was not able to take time on my lunch hour at work to call our propane dealer. Shoot! Now I will have to wait till Monday! Thanks for all you input. :)

bethelson · Dec 13, 2008, 01:21 PM

I just wanted to let you know that I put the carbon monoxide alarm in the house the whole night and it registered and went off. So my husband has told me to shut that end of the house's unit off completely and we will be purchasing another one asap. He now admits that the headaches and nausea was probably from poisoning from the unit. DUH!! But thank God I seem to have gotten through to him finally! Oh, by the way... he's a physician! :eek:

hvacservicetech_07 · Dec 13, 2008, 02:25 PM

Luckily you were able to make him see the light before it was too late, the sad thing is that if you would have let it go for another day,you may have never woke up.

mygirlsdad77 · Dec 13, 2008, 03:29 PM

You have gotten great advice here. The humid smell you speak of definitely makes me think you have a heat exchanger problem. Could be deadly indeed. Carbon monoxide is odorless but the smell of the burnt gas entering the home smells just like you described it, and I promise it contains co. Do not use that furnace under any circumstances. Use electric heaters(even if you have to go buy some) to keep you warm until the furnace can be properly serviced or replaced. You are lucky you only had headache and nausea. Could have been much worse. Glad it wasn't. Take care

MarkwithaK · Dec 13, 2008, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by bethelson

My husband simply gets freon from someone he works with (He tries to "sniff" out the leak with a sniffer type tool and hasn't ever found it.) So he simply fills it up every spring before we have to use it.

Just so you are aware, this is highly illegal and carries a VERY hefty fine unless your husband is certified through the EPA. I would keep this info to yourself from now on.

bethelson · Dec 14, 2008, 04:01 PM

Thank you everyone for all your advice. Yes, the heat exchanger is the exact problem that it was. My husband had been saying that's what it probably was for about 6 weeks already. But because he is not home hardly ever and eats at the hospital and is so busy he only comes home to sleep most of the time he wasn't thinking he needed to handle taking care of it right away. And the stupid carbon monoxide alarm never was going off. Little did I know that it needed a new battery. When I put the new battery in that's when it showed it WAS leaking into the house. Our bedroom and bathroom is at the end of the house that uses a different unit that is fine right now. He saw an article in today's paper that says the government in 2009 will give tax credit for new ac/heating units so he has decided to wait till after the first of the year. So I will be spending a lot of time in the end of the house that doesn't have icicles hanging from the ceiling. Hahaha. Yes, I know he's not suppose to be doing the freon thing. But thank you for telling me that. As you figured out by now... there are definitely more issues going on that the heating unit.:mad: God took care of me just the same! Praise the Lord for Him and His angels keeping me safe in amongst this junk! :D