Why does my house smell like brown sugar?

Heat Exchanger Issues
That sweet smell may seem a lot less mysterious when you learn that it's a common symptom of a broken heat exchanger—a critical part of any gas furnace. If your heat exchanger is giving off a brown sugar smell, it may be clogged, cracked, or otherwise broken.
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What causes a sweet smell in house?

Mildew and Mold

Whether it is in the basement, kitchen, or bathroom, mold and mildew build-up can cause a sweet, pungent fragrance or a sweet sticky smell. Mold and mildew result due to the presence of water, fluid, and moisture in certain areas of your home.
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Why does my house randomly smell like syrup?

If you notice that air smells like maple syrup, it could be that there is mold in your house. As you probably already know, mold is a serious issue that can affect your health, especially if you're experiencing allergies or respiratory issues.
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Why does the air smell like sugar?

The refrigerant in your air conditioning system absorbs heat and pushes out cool air into the home. If the AC smells sweet, it can indicate a refrigerant leak. Over time, the coils inside your system can crack, and the refrigerant can leak out, resulting in that “sweet” chemical smell from AC units.
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What is the sweet smell in the air?

The intoxicating perfume of spring which calls to mind feelings of hope and renewal is actually designed to attract primitive insect-like creatures so they can spread bacteria, scientists say.
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How to make your house smell amazing!



Why do I smell burnt sugar?

Phantosmia is the medical word doctors use when a person smells something that is not actually there. The smells vary from person to person but are usually unpleasant, such as burnt toast, metallic, or chemical smells. Phantosmia is also called a phantom smell or an olfactory hallucination.
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Does carbon monoxide have a sweet smell?

Carbon monoxide is a gas that has no odor, color or taste. You wouldn't be able to see or smell it, but it can be very dangerous to your health and even fatal.
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Why does my house smell like caramel?

If your heat exchanger is giving off a brown sugar smell, it may be clogged, cracked, or otherwise broken. You should call your HVAC technician right away if you suspect your heat exchanger is having issues. Leaking heat exchangers can release dangerous gases along with the sugary smell.
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What gas is sweet smelling?

What is hydrogen sulfide? Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, flammable gas that smells like rotten eggs at low concentration levels in the air. It is commonly known as sewer gas, stink damp, and manure gas. At high concentration levels, it has a sickening sweet odor.
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Do electrical fires smell sweet?

Electrical fires will smell like one of two things. The first is an acrid odor that's like burning plastic. This makes sense because, behind your wall, plastic components like wire coatings could be on fire. Others say an electrical fire has a fishy scent.
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Is there a mold that smells sweet?

Most molds produce an earthy smell, which can also smell sweet. Basements often have mold growth because moisture seeps on basement walls or water leaks go unnoticed. The high humidity in basements also encourages mold to grow. Insect infestations are another common cause of a sweet smell in the basement.
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Does gas leak smell sweet?

Recognize and Report a Natural Gas Leak

First and foremost will be the smell of rotten eggs, or sometimes a sickly sweet smell. Natural gas on its own has no detectable odor. Mercaptian is a chemical that is added to the gas to give it its distinctive odor.
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What does it mean if I keep smelling maple syrup?

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a disorder in which the body cannot break down certain parts of proteins. The urine of people with this condition can smell like maple syrup.
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What does it mean if you smell something sweet?

You May Have Diabetes, Or Liver Or Kidney Problems

"For example, people with diabetes have trouble breaking down glucose in the body, so you may notice that diabetics' breath often smells sweet because of a build-up of glucose."
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What does brown sugar smell like?

The smell of brown sugar thus comes primarily from molasses. The smell of molasses is very complex.
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Why do I smell candy?

An olfactory hallucination (phantosmia) makes you detect smells that aren't really there in your environment. The odors you notice in phantosmia are different from person to person and may be foul or pleasant. You may notice the smells in one or both nostrils.
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What does sewer gas smell like in house?

If sewer gas is present in your home, the first sign you may notice is the smell of rotten eggs. You may also experience various symptoms of exposure, such as: fatigue. headaches.
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What are the signs of a gas leak in your home?

If you detect any of the following signs of a natural gas leak in your house or think you have been exposed, contact 911 immediately.
  • The smell of rotten eggs. ...
  • Hissing sounds. ...
  • Air bubbles outside your home. ...
  • Dead or dying plants. ...
  • Physical symptoms of natural gas poisoning. ...
  • Higher-than-normal gas usage.
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What does gas leak smell like?

Mercaptan smells like sulphur, or rotten eggs, to help you identify gas leaks. But you may not smell anything if the leak is very small. Evacuate the area immediately if you experience the following: smell sulphur or something like rotten eggs.
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Why does my house smell like chocolate?

Wiring that has grown too hot (which would be a warning sign that it could fail and become a fire hazard) can smell faintly like “burnt” chocolate. This is true of burning motors, as well. You will want to check around your house for any signs of burning electrical equipment.
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What are the signs of carbon monoxide in a home?

Other possible clues of a carbon monoxide leak include:
  • black, sooty marks on the front covers of gas fires.
  • sooty or yellow/brown stains on or around boilers, stoves or fires.
  • smoke building up in rooms because of a faulty flue.
  • yellow instead of blue flames coming from gas appliances.
  • pilot lights frequently blowing out.
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What does carbon monoxide smell like in house?

No, carbon monoxide has no smell. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that's a byproduct of combustion. As a homeowner, this means it can leak from your gas furnace, stove, dryer, and water heater as well as wood stove/fireplace.
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What does electrical fire smell like?

An electrical fire initially has a fairly acrid smell of plastic burning. The short could be in the outlet or in the wiring inside a wall and can be hard to locate.
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What do you smell before a stroke?

There is a common myth that during a stroke, the victim will perceive the smell of burning toast. The medical term for this is phantosmia; an olfactory hallucination. In other words, a phantom smell, or a smell that isn't really there.
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Why does my heat smell like maple syrup?

The coolant travels throughout the engine, hoses, radiator, and heater core. The smell of maple syrup signifies that coolant is leaking within one of those places in your vehicle. When coolant leaks, the amount of coolant circulating is at a significant loss.
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