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We just turned the heat on for the first time and the smoke alarms keep going off. Should I be worried?

We are in a rental home which had central heat and air installed this past summer. This is the first time we have turned on the heat and the smoke alarms keep going off. Is this something to worry about or is this normal? (I know it sounds like a really stupid question, but I grew up in the Tropics, so I don't know how the heating works!)

Public Comments

  1. I just turned my heating/ac unit to heat, and turned iton. Fire alarm went right on. I think cause of dust, or something. Not to worry.
  2. I don't think thats normal I would let the landlord know whats going and also call a local heating company and ask them this question they would know best
  3. I would think it is just the dust burning off. If you don't smell smoke or see fire I wouldn't be too alarmed but just to be safe I would call the landlord and explain the situation, he may come over to see what is going on.
  4. call your landlord or the people who installed the furnace. There's definitely something wrong. Don't turn it on again until it's fixed. It's their responsibility to fix it and fix it immediately because this sounds like a dangerous situation.
  5. I would run the heat and have the windows open to vent the house for about an hour or two. Then shut the windows and keep running the heat. If the smoke alarms keep going off, you can call your heating company or you can call the fire department. Seriously, the fire department will have no problem coming over and checking for a Carbon Monoxide leak. They have special gear to let them check that and would not mind doing this for you.
  6. It's nothing to be concerned about, what it is, is during the time the furnace has been turned off, alot of dust and lint has collected on the heat coils and when you turn the heat on for the first time you will smell something burning and what that is is all the dust etc, is burning off, the other thing is the placement off your smoke detector if it is near a vent it will go off everytime until the dust burns off, but if you still not sure go ahead and call your landlord and have the unit inspected.
  7. Some smoke alarms are combined with carbon monoxide detectors,if you have one of these you should be concerned, especially if the unit is an older natural gas appliance that lacks the safety controls now standard in new units.Have the landlord have aheating technician check the unit.