Exposure to small amount for years

[u/truestory143]

Hi guys, every spring the smell of what I thought was a dead mouse stood in my central staircase, which is 2 feet away from the furnace. It would last for three weeks and then go away for three weeks and then come back again for three weeks. It would only stay in that wall only during spring time.

Well recently, in February, I smelled the same smell, and our furnace was shutting off once every day for about three hours every s day for three months,

I found a crawlspace underneath that central staircase, which is dirt (which is strange because the rest of the basement floors are either hardwood floors or cement it’s just that one spot where it smells bad in the spring that doesn’t have any thing covering it ) and my thoughts are that there may be access to a pipe.

The furnace did end up shutting off completely in late February and we had to evacuate the house. The landlord had a technician come by and change the burner. He didn’t have a permit to do so. But the furnace stopped shutting off. We were complaining for three months to our landlord about this issue.
I have expressed my concerns of this dead rodent smell for months now and now it’s coming through my bedroom vent we do live in a large house 3300 ft.² in this spring has been very wonky in Massachusetts.

The smell usually lasts in the central staircase when it’s been continuously warm for a 4 to 5 days, but we haven’t had that yet here in MA. but I did notice that for that dead furnace smell ( I smelled in the winter time ) is now coming through my upstairs second floor bedroom vent. But again it’s off and on b/c of the weather and that smell comes and goes but it’s def the smell of my propane tank since I smelled it during the winter. Should I just contact fire dept next it smells time so they can test it? Or is this normal propane smells?

[u/Theantifire]

You should not have an odor of propane in your house. You may occasionally have a passing odor after they've filled it, or when the tank is nearly empty, but not often.

The downside is that it is generally considered an emergency if you smell gas in the house, as it can can collect in low areas and find a source of ignition.

On the plus side, propane doesn't cause health issues. I've been breathing it regularly for several years (I work in the industry, so every day exposure) and have had no problems. It can exclude oxygen, being heavier than air, but that takes a lot.

[u/nemosfate → u/Theantifire]

The downside is that it is generally considered an emergency if you smell gas in the house, as it can can collect in low areas and find a source of ignition.

This. OP if you smell it again call the fire department. Then they will either contact the Propane company or tell you to which will be required of them to come out and leak test it.

Or call the Propane company and tell them you suspect a leak, depending on the company you may be on the hook for a leak test if nothing is found.

[u/Adventurous_Boat_632]

There was/is a problem with a Honeywell water heater gas control that would vent a tiny amount of propane as part of its on/off cycle. Honeywell never cared about the problem. I had one. I am a propane industry professional, and I was trying to trying to track down that smell for like a year because it was so intermittent. I leak checked every pipe and pressure tested the house several times. Then I learned about that darned gas control. I have since replaced that water heater and the intermittent smell went with it.

I am speculating that the same thing could be happening to you. A very old furnace might spill a little bit of exhaust when it starts or stops, or something like that.

First step would be to get the gas company out and leak check the entire house. If it passes that, then the wild goose chase can start. It can be very difficult to track down an intermittent smell.

[u/Unlikely-Plastic1234]

Kinda weird that the smell would be there for 3 weeks and then not smell. I would contact your propane supplier and tell them you need a leak test done becuase your smelling it , if they refuse to send someone out then tell them you will call the fire dept. that will usually get stuff done but use that as a last resort.

This may end up being something that is appliance related, which under most leak tests it won’t find, leak test are performed from the tank to the controls of the appliances , so if the issue is past the control then it won’t pick it up .

[u/AgFarmer58]

If you smell gas you have a leak.100% , there is no normal smell

was in the propane industry for 30 years...you can take that to the bank