Why does my electric fireplace smell like burning? 

While electric fireplaces add ambiance to a home, they can sometimes produce an unpleasant burning smell, which can be both frustrating and dangerous. Not to forget that this can be an indication that there is a problem with your electric fireplace. 

A burning smell coming from your fireplace may not be necessarily a safety risk. Nonetheless, it’s always good to identify the cause of the smell. And this article is a great place to start! Just read on to learn some issues that might be making your electric fireplace smell like burning! 

Possible causes of a burning smell in your electric fireplace 

• Your electric fireplace is brand new 

If your electric fireplace is new, the weird smell coming from the fireplace may not be a cause for concern. Most manufacturers recommend turning on the unit for a few hours after buying it and ventilating the house to get rid of the burning smell. This gives the machine enough time to burn off the adhesives or chemicals that were used when manufacturing the fireplace. In addition, the machine will burn off any layer of dust that might have settled on the machine during storage. 

However, if the burning smell goes on for too long, turn off the fireplace and ventilate your home. Then turn it back on a warm day and let it run for a few hours until it stops producing the burning smell. 

• Electrical overload 

An electrical overload is another issue that can cause your electric fireplace to smell like burning plastic. Specifically, electrical overload means there is too much electricity flowing through the unit. As a result, it damaged the wiring and other components inside the fireplace like the insulations, producing a burning smell. 

Also, this can occur if you’ve connected your fireplace to an extension cord. Similarly, an electrical overload can happen if the fuse has blown and when there are too many appliances plugged into the outlet. 

To avoid this problem, never connect your electric fireplace to an extension cord as it can be a serious fire hazard. Besides, extension cords are not designed to handle the amount of energy needed to power a fireplace. 

Secondly, inspect the wiring of your electric fireplace thoroughly, looking for areas where the insulation is darkened or blemished. Lastly, if your electric fireplace is hard-wired to your home’s electric circuit, hire a certified electrician to run tests and ensure all the wires are working properly. 

• Faulty heating element 

Another common reason that may make your electric fireplace smell like burning plastic is a damaged heating element. In other instances, the heating element may be functioning but not producing heat. This will also cause it to produce a burning smell. 

The heating element is the part of an electric fireplace that generates heat. It is located inside the firebox, but it’s relatively easy to access as you only need to open the door of the fireplace. However, before you replace the heating element, you should look for one that is compatible with your electric fireplace model. Otherwise, you may end up damaging the fireplace or posing a fire hazard if you use the wrong heating element. 

• Debris & dust build-up 

Lastly, your electric smell may be smelling like burning plastic due to the build-up of debris and dust in the heating element. That way, when you turn on the fireplace, the heating element overheats and produces a burning smell.

On the bright side, if dust and debris build up is the cause of the burning smell in your fireplace, it’s relatively easy to fix. After all, you only need to clean the fireplace to get rid of the dust layer. Also, the burning smell will eventually disappear if you continue using your electric fireplace for a couple of hours. 

Conclusion 

To sum up, if your electric fireplace is producing a burning smell when you turn it on, it’s either because of a damaged heating element, dirt buildup, electrical overload or it’s new. Whichever the case, you should turn off the electric fireplace immediately and unplug it until you identify the exact cause of the problem and take the necessary precautionary measures. In addition, it’s important to regularly clean your unit to keep it working properly and prevent it from producing burning smells.