House Smells Like Burning Rubber? (Possible Causes & Fixes)
Nothing is more unsettling than to notice a burning smell in your home. The smell of burning rubber or plastic has a distinctively unpleasant odor. If you smell burning rubber or plastic in your home, there is no need to panic, but the cause does need to be investigated and found.
Electrical problems and overheated appliances are the main reasons that your house smells like burning rubber. Frayed or overloaded wires can produce a burnt rubber odor, and it can indicate a serious electrical problem. Components within your HVAC system such as the blower motor contain rubber than can burn out over time and produce a strong smell.
You should never ignore any burning smell in your home. The burning smell could signal bigger problems that need addressing quickly and professionally. We will look at some of the most common problems that result in a burning rubber smell in your home.
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Why Does My House Smell Like Burnt Rubber?
There are several reasons that a house smells like burning rubber, such as electrical problems and faulty appliances. It isn’t always an emergency if your house smells like burning rubber, but it’s important to diagnose the cause. Let’s take a look at the most common reasons that your house smells like burning rubber.
Electrical Problems
Electrical problems can be dangerous and pose a fire hazard, especially when it comes to damaged wires. In some cases, your house smells like burning rubber if wires are overloaded, and that can lead to an electrical fire. Call an electrician or emergency services if there if your house smells like burning rubber near electrical wires.
The first sign of an electrical fire is often a burnt metal, plastic, or rubber smell within the house. A burning rubber smell does not always indicate that there will be an electrical fire, but it may mean that you need to repair your wires. Contact a professional if you are inexperienced with electrical work because it can be dangerous.
Video: Burning Smell When I Turn My Heater On
HVAC
HVAC systems are prone to several concerning smells, such as rotten eggs or burning rubber. Problems within an HVAC system are often the reason that your house smells like burning rubber. The burning rubber smell can come from your HVAC system due to one of several components, such as:
- Belt-driven fans – The fans in most HVAC systems contain a rubber belt that drives the fan cage. The rubber belts wear down over time and will eventually produce a burning smell that is unmistakable. This can also cause the bearings within the fan to fail, the rubber belt will come loose, and it will produce a burning smell.
- Electrical motors – HVAC fan motors can fail over time and can cause your house to smell like burning rubber. Blower motors last for an average of 12 years, but they can fail before then. Wires connected to or near the electric motor can also fail and create a burning odor. Hire an HVAC professional or electrician to replace your blower motor.
- Control board failure – All HVAC systems have a control board that manages the heating and cooling in your home. It is rare, but a control board can fail, throw the whole system off, and cause your house to smell like burning rubber. Your HVAC system will likely fail altogether if the control board fails, and you’ll notice it when your house smells like burning rubber.
- Foreign objects on the heat exchanger – Foreign objects can wind up on the heat exchanger and they will burn. This can easily produce a burnt rubber smell that spreads throughout the house. You can tell that is this is the problem if you open up the HVAC system and inspect the heater exchanger. The heat exchanger will smell bad until you remove all of the debris.
Appliances
Several appliances in your home can cause a burnt rubber smell, such as a washer and dryer or vacuum. Vacuums have rubber belts and components that can overheat and create a burning odor. This is common with older vacuums or if with frequent use.
Appliance failures are often the reason your house smells like burning rubber. All appliances contain electrical components that can go bad and produce a burning smell. Overheated power supplies can burn components within TVs, microwaves, toaster ovens, cooktops, and refrigerators.
This doesn’t always mean that the appliance is bad, but you may need to repair it. Appliances can smell like burning rubber even if they don’t contain rubber. However, you should avoid appliances that overheat, produce a buzzing sound, and smell like something is burning to be safe.
Other Causes
If your home starts to smell like burning rubber, you should consider a few other things other than an electrical situation. When you start to diagnose a burning rubber smell in your think a bit outside the box.
- Have you brought anything new into your home? – Anything new that comes into your home may be a source of strange smells, including a burning rubber smell. If the appearance of the burning rubber odor coincides with anything new such as shelving or furniture, suspect that new furniture.
- Check your heating vents for foreign objects – Children a crafty and creative. It is amazing where you will find small toys and other objects. A plastic toy pushed into a heating vent can get hot enough to emit rubber smells.
- Outside odors inside your house – Odors can migrate from outside your home to the interior. Negative pressure inside your home can suck outside air inside, bringing any odors from the surrounding environment. If your HVAC system creates a negative pressure environment, an HVAC technician is the best resource for determining the problem.
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Summing It Up
Typically, a house smells like rubber if there are problems with wires or your HVAC system. The rubber belt in an AC blower fan can wear out and create a burning smell in your house. Appliances such as refrigerators and vacuums can also produce a burning rubber smell, but it’s not always an emergency.
A burning rubber smell in your home deserves serious attention. The smell of burning rubber pervading your home can be a symptom of much larger and more dangerous problems. A licensed electrician can help you find and isolate the problem. In many cases, a licensed electrician can make the necessary repairs.
However, a burning rubber smell can indicate serious electrical problems in some cases. That is why you must contact an electrician or call 911 if there is a strong burnt rubber smell near important wires. Otherwise, a house smells like rubber due to outside causes if your windows are open.
Dennis is a retired firefighter with an extensive background in construction, home improvement, and remodeling. He worked in the trades part-time while serving as an active firefighter. On his retirement, he started a remodeling and home repair business, which he ran for several years.
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