Pungent smell from the floor heater vents

[SJC]

Hi I have a question regards floor heater vents. Yesterday, my RV was smelling bad. It smells like rotten eggs. When I try to investigate and find the source, I discover the smell comes from the two floor heater vents from kitchen, and bedroom area. The smell is getting stronger. I hope this is not a gas leakage? Anyone has input on this? Please advice. How to get rid of the smell. Kind of scare to even sleep in it.

Thanks.

[chartrand]

Maybe a dead mouse in there?

[Ron]

If you have not used your trailer for awhile, you might want take a look at the frunace and check to see if mice have build a nest near or in the return air area the furnace or possibly in the duct work

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by SJC

Hi I have a question regards floor heater vents. Yesterday, my RV was smelling bad. It smells like rotten eggs. When I try to investigate and find the source, I discover the smell comes from the two floor heater vents from kitchen, and bedroom area. The smell is getting stronger. I hope this is not a gas leakage? Anyone has input on this? Please advice. How to get rid of the smell. Kind of scare to even sleep in it.

Thanks.

If it was a propane gas leak, your propane detector should have sounded an alarm, providing that it was hooked up and working properly.

Sounds like the entire hot air distribution system needs a good cleaning. As previously noted, that includes the furnace heat exchanger.

[SJC]

Are these under warranty? We just have this trailer for three months and it's brand new.

If we have to clean it ourselves, how to do it?

[Ron]

Originally Posted by SJC

Are these under warranty? We just have this trailer for three months and it's brand new.

If we have to clean it ourselves, how to do it?

If you have not run the furnace much, there is a coating on the metal that will burn off, maybe that is what you smelling, if so let it run, it might take a few months to completly burn it off............

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by SJC

Are these under warranty? We just have this trailer for three months and it's brand new.

If we have to clean it ourselves, how to do it?

Let's take this in small steps.

Have you been using the furnace regularly up to now? And the bad odor just started?

Or...

You have never used the furnace and it smells bad when you try to use it for the first time?

[hankpage]

Originally Posted by SteveC7010

Let's take this in small steps.

Have you been using the furnace regularly up to now? And the bad odor just started?

Or...

You have never used the furnace and it smells bad when you try to use it for the first time?

Or... are you just getting the smell from the vent without using the heat???

[Outbackmel]

I would not waste any time even guessing about a possible gas leak. Go to your nearest big box retail store and spend $20 or so and bring that thing with it's battery back up alert and plug that thing in. Better safe than be a newspaper obit!! Do it now. I always check my systems at the rv and home
Hopefully this is not an issue BUT why would you chance your well being when peace of mind is only a detector away.
Keep us posted.

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by Outbackmel

I would not waste any time even guessing about a possible gas leak. Go to your nearest big box retail store and spend $20 or so and bring that thing with it's battery back up alert and plug that thing in. Better safe than be a newspaper obit!! Do it now. I always check my systems at the rv and home
Hopefully this is not an issue BUT why would you chance your well being when peace of mind is only a detector away.
Keep us posted.

The trailer should have come from the factory with a propane detector as standard equipment. Part of my initial post was to point out that their propane detector should have picked up a leak right away if it was a gas leak.

[hankpage]

Originally Posted by Outbackmel

I would not waste any time even guessing about a possible gas leak. Go to your nearest big box retail store and spend $20 or so and bring that thing with it's battery back up alert and plug that thing in. Better safe than be a newspaper obit!! Do it now. I always check my systems at the rv and home
Hopefully this is not an issue BUT why would you chance your well being when peace of mind is only a detector away.
Keep us posted.

The battery detectors available at home stores are for "smoke" or "CO" and will not detect propane. The 12v DC hard wired "gas" detectors in RVs are mounted close to the floor to detect heavier than air gases like propane and natural gas. You should have all three types in your trailer and they should be replaced when they have reached their useful service life as per their manufacturer. JM2¢, Hank

[SJC]

Hi all, thank you for all your input! I am sorry I was unable to answer your questions earlier .... had to haul trailer to dealership. I had asked them to check this issue out, but obviously they omitted this request. My trailer is only three months old, and I only started to use the heater this last month. The smells happen when the heater is on. And yes, we do have a propane detector, and a carbon monoxide detector.

Thanks for all your advice.

[JRTJH]

When you first operate a new furnace, it will smell "terrible" and fill the RV with not real pleasant smoke/odor. This will usually subside in about 2 or 3 hours of operation. most of us just turn on the overhead exhaust fans, set the thermostat on high, open a few windows and go outside to enjoy the fresh air while the furnace does its thing. Once the preservatives on the heat exchanger are burned off, you'll most likely have no more problems with smells from the furnace or vents. If you haven't done that "burnoff" yet, then what you are experiencing is a "new furnace smell" that will go away in a couple of hours.

Try that and see if it's cleared up in a while.... Most likely, the service department didn't do anything about it and had intended to explain the above to you, but somehow failed to relay the message.

I'm pretty sure you don't have an issue with anything faulty, however, once you do the above burnoff and should you still have problems, or if the smell you're getting is propane, then don't operate the furnace, take the RV to the dealer. but if it's not propane, then you should be OK with the above.

Hope it helps
John

[fla-gypsy]

Are you certain it is coming from the heater vents? The water heater can create bad smells from time to time also and may need to be drained and refilled. It has a similar odor to which you describe.

[PerryB]

Bet you a dollar its a dead mouse. There is NO grate or screen of any kind on the blower intake. Been there done that. I made a box about 3"x3" -open on the bottom- out of 1/4" mesh screen and put it over the intake. You want a screen with lots of area and a fairly large mesh so it doesn't plug up with dust/lint.

[RoscoPColtrane]

I have a similar problem. As a new owner we made the mistake of not completely locking the refrigerator door while on the road, causing milk to spill on the floor and into the furnace ducts. Now we have spoiled milk smell in the trailer and even a little bit outside near the tongue area I’ve noticed. I was thinking I could pour a little bit of vinegar mixed with water into the ducks but I don’t want to make a bad situation worse. The other thought I had is that it would eventually dry out completely and just go away on its own. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by RoscoPColtrane

I have a similar problem. As a new owner we made the mistake of not completely locking the refrigerator door while on the road, causing milk to spill on the floor and into the furnace ducts. Now we have spoiled milk smell in the trailer and even a little bit outside near the tongue area I’ve noticed. I was thinking I could pour a little bit of vinegar mixed with water into the ducks but I don’t want to make a bad situation worse. The other thought I had is that it would eventually dry out completely and just go away on its own. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

You are replying to a 7+ year old post. You would get more replies if you start a new post.

[wiredgeorge]

OK... new thread... good idea but my advice is: DON'T CRY OVER SPILLED MILK! Rosco I would also advise you put your camper year/make/model and tow vehicle info in your signature. Welcome!

[Ken / Claudia]

Like many posts, this one also was left without poster kindly informing all on here what happened. Let's guess, mine is new furnace smell and poster was too embarrassed to say so.

[dutchmensport]

Originally Posted by flybouy

You are replying to a 7+ year old post. You would get more replies if you start a new post.

Wow! 7 year old post. I wonder if the original poster ever figured out what was causing the smell and what his solution was. Probably by now, he doesn't even own that camper any more!