Baseboard heater smell

[trainguy]

Guys,

This may well be a question for home repair forums, but where else would I have access to such experts...

Any idea why after turning on an electric baseboard heater in my basement it would generate a strong sickly sweet smell? It's quite disturbing. The building is an attached townhouse, and the basement is adjacent to a shared concrete parking garage. The basement and garage are separated by a CMU wall.

(In a Stephen King sense - it smells like something evil...)

tg

 

[ChrisConley]

Burning hair/dirt/dead skin cells.

*shudder*

Thanks for making me think of that.

 

[trainguy]

Like from a dead mouse for example?

tg

 

[MintJulep]

Could be a dead critter, but just the crap that settles on the element over the summer can odorize things too.

 

[IRstuff]

Dust bunnies usually, in my experience, come through as a slightly burnt smell, rather than sickly sweet. Perhaps, sometime in the last 9 months, there was some spillage of some sort onto the heaters?

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[trainguy]

Very likely - the basement was painted when we moved in...

tg

 

[DRWeig]

If the basement is prone to condensation or water seepage, you might be burning a thriving mold colony when you put it on. That's a really stinky affair.

Good on ya,

Goober Dave

 

[trainguy]

Goober Dave,

I hope you're wrong...I'll open it up over the week-end.

But if you're right, what do I do?

tg

 

[IRstuff]

Lots of bleach can do wonders. Then, you'll need to figure out a way to keep the area dry, and non-condensing.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[Compositepro]

It could also be dog, cat or rodent urine. Use a spray bottle of water and detergent to wash-off the heater. Catch the run-off with a towel. It could take a long time to burn-off by itself because baseboard heaters don't get very hot.

 

[IRstuff]

Maybe a diabetic animal's urine. There's a foreign phrase for diabetes that is something like sugar urine disease...

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[KenRad]

trainguy,

When you said sickly sweet, the first thing I thought of is glycol, or antifreeze. Any chance of liquid leaking in from the garage?

Electric baseboard heaters are cheap; I would rip it out and start with a new one.

---KenRad

 

[DRWeig]

Trainguy,

Don't forget to let us know what you find! This has me really curious...

Good luck,

Goober Dave

 

[IRstuff]

Is burning antifreeze different than boiling anitifreeze? We had a glycol temperature control system for stimulating ICs, and my recollection is that the boiling glycol was quite acrid, and I had a sore throat from the fumes for a couple of days afterwards.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[TBP]

Are there any little kids? Could be crayons, a peanut butter sandwich, gum - anything.

 

[trainguy]

Guys,

Had the heaters on all day yesterday, and smell is 80% gone, on 1 of the units, and 100% gone on other unit.

All I saw was a few spiders, and a little bit of floor varnish, but that's it.

tg

 

[MintJulep]

Varnish, that would do it.

 

[DRWeig]

Thanks trainguy,

Glad you're mold-free!

I agree with MintJulep, varnish might smell sweet when burning.

Good on ya,

Goober Dave

 

[mauricestoker]

"strong, sickly sweet smell".... I recognize that from "Reefer Madness". The problem might be teenagers or jazz musicians.

 

[trainguy]

My boys are not teens yet, but we are a musical family. No jazz yet though.

I guess I should make sure they do not play jazz in their teen years.

tg