My forced air oil furnace output smells like oil in the bedrooms, but
only before the circulation fan starts!.

And not always then. But often when I'm sitting at my desk or lying
in bed, and the furnace starts, I smell the smell of oil for maybe 5
or 8 seconds. For sure, once the blower starts running, I don't smell
it anymore.

I thought that might mean the heat exchanger had a leak, but as some
instructions directed, I put (3) cloves in the fire box and didn't
smell the cloves anywhere in the house. Of course this was after the
circ. fan had started running. Do I need to use more cloves?

Is this a serious problem? Is it a health hazard to smell the oil?
Am I smelling unburned oil and if so, is there more unburned oil in
the house than normal all the time the furnace runs, that also adds to
the health hazard?

The fire looks good in my aged opinion. It's full and big, and it's
all yellow or maybe yellow-orange. I forget what the right color is.


The nozzle was replaced fall of 2011, but the winter was so warm last
winter, the furnace got little use. It started right up this fall.
The chimney was clearned a year ago, last January.

Thanks a lot.

On Jan 23, 4:36*am, micky wrote:
My forced air oil furnace output smells like oil in the bedrooms, but
only before the circulation fan starts!.

And not always then. * *But often when I'm sitting at my desk or lying
in bed, and the furnace starts, *I smell the smell of oil for maybe 5
or 8 seconds. For sure, once the blower starts running, I don't smell
it anymore.

I thought that might mean the heat exchanger had a leak, but as some
instructions directed, I put (3) cloves in the fire box and didn't
smell the cloves anywhere in the house. * Of course this was after the
circ. fan had started running. * Do I need to use more cloves?

Is this a serious problem? * Is it a health hazard to smell the oil?
Am I smelling unburned oil and if so, is there more unburned oil in
the house than normal all the time the furnace runs, that also adds to
the health hazard?

It's not normal and until you know what is causing it, yes it's
a problem that I would take seriously. It could be lots of things.
Have you watched the furnace when it first fires up? Looked
at the draft regulator? Does a puff of smoke come out perhaps?
It could be anything from the furnace to a chimney that is leaking
into the house. I hope you have a CO detector. I'd get it checked
out ASAP. Also, how old is the furnace? With the price of oil
today, if it's an older inefficient one, might be time to consider
replacing it.

On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 05:03:40 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Jan 23, 4:36*am, micky wrote:
My forced air oil furnace output smells like oil in the bedrooms, but
only before the circulation fan starts!.

And not always then. * *But often when I'm sitting at my desk or lying
in bed, and the furnace starts, *I smell the smell of oil for maybe 5
or 8 seconds. For sure, once the blower starts running, I don't smell
it anymore.

I thought that might mean the heat exchanger had a leak, but as some
instructions directed, I put (3) cloves in the fire box and didn't
smell the cloves anywhere in the house. * Of course this was after the
circ. fan had started running. * Do I need to use more cloves?

Is this a serious problem? * Is it a health hazard to smell the oil?
Am I smelling unburned oil and if so, is there more unburned oil in
the house than normal all the time the furnace runs, that also adds to
the health hazard?

It's not normal and until you know what is causing it, yes it's
a problem that I would take seriously.

okay. Thanks.

It could be lots of things.
Have you watched the furnace when it first fires up?

Yes.

Looked
at the draft regulator?

Yes, it swings in (sucks in) for a second or two and then goes back to
closed the rest of the time.

Does a puff of smoke come out perhaps?

No.

It could be anything from the furnace to a chimney that is leaking

Had the chimney cleaned about a year ago. He said I was okay. **

And the smell must be coming out of the hot air vents. They just
drift up because the fan isn't on yet.

into the house. I hope you have a CO detector.

Yes, just one season old. It reads zero all the time.

I'd get it checked
out ASAP. Also, how old is the furnace? With the price of oil
today, if it's an older inefficient one, might be time to consider
replacing it.

There are no gas lines in the n'hood. Is dellivered gas an option?
Is its cost also low because the price of natural gas is low? Does
their having to dlever the gas frequently add much to the price?
(Yes, I'll call a dealer and ask, but you're not trying to sell me
anything.)


**FTR he was the second guy I called. The first guy came out and
before cleaining told me I needed all new stove pipe from the furnace
to the chimney. $645. He said he couldn't clean it under the
circumstances. He said there was creosote. (He just charged me
for the firefplace chimney.)

I thought that oil burners could't make creosote, so I called someone
else. He was about 10 dollars more money and he told me my stove pipe
was good, getting old but didn't need replacing yet. He said oil
furnceas can make creosote, but I didnt' have any.