What’s That Smell? Common Furnace Odors in Columbia, MO Homes & What They Mean

Controlled Heating & Cooling • October 16, 2025

An Unpleasant Odor Can Indicate an Issue With Your Heater. Follow the Scent With Mid-Missouri’s HVAC Veteran, Controlled Heating & Cooling


With colder weather approaching, your home’s furnace will be using more energy again to spread heat through the rooms. In this process, some families might notice a mysterious smell in the air, causing them to wonder what might be the root of this problem. Most of these odors can be traced back to a functional problem with your heating system in Columbia, MO. Some furnace smells call for a quick maintenance check, while others are a sign of something more dangerous to your home. Find out what different scents can mean by following along with our longtime HVAC contractors and scheduling an inspection.

Heating in Columbia, MO

The furnace in your Columbia, MO home smells musty


Have you noticed a stale, mildewy scent in multiple rooms of your home? This could likely be a result of mold growing near the air vents. Water leaks and high humidity are the most common causes of mold spores, and they can bring many health issues if not corrected immediately. If you see mold in the corners of your home in Columbia, MO, call a mold remediation company for help and repair or replace the furnace with a trusted technician.


There is an odor of burning dust or hair coming from your heating system in mid-MO


During the spring and summer when air conditioning is the priority, your furnace can collect dust and allergens while not being used. If there is a slight burning scent after turning on the heater in your Columbia, MO home, it could just need some time to settle into the winter routine. However, you should contact an expert if the odor continues. Controlled Heating & Cooling can check internal system parts, change filters, and more to find your HVAC solution.   


What makes a furnace in Columbia, MO smell like rotten eggs?


The scent of rotten eggs or sulfur is an instant red flag for mid-MO homeowners and often signals a gas leak. Natural gas doesn’t have a detectable smell, utility companies include mercaptan in gas systems to emit that rotten smell in emergencies. The minute you recognize this sulfur odor, step out of your Columbia, MO home and call either a natural gas company or 911. 


The reason your heater smells like plastic, rubber, or metal in mid-Missouri


A metallic or plastic scent is usually an issue with specific parts of your HVAC system, whether they are deteriorating or starting to overheat. The furnace’s blower motor, wires, heat exchanger, or some other component may be the main problem resulting in this smell of melting plastic or burning rubber. 


Prevent Weird Furnace Scents By Checking in With a Heating Professional in the Columbia, MO Community. Troubleshoot Your HVAC System With Controlled Heating & Cooling!


You can restore heat and fresh air in your Columbia, MO home with our installation, maintenance, and repair services. For decades, Controlled Heating & Cooling has been fixing and optimizing units for the best performance in the freezing wintertime. If you’re dealing with an odd smell, let our experienced contractors take care of it!

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