Smelly Gas Heater, kerosene smell

[ronaford]

Hi, has anyone else suffered from smelly gas over the last week? We had guests staying with us last weekend and the gas heater had smelly gas fumes coming out (not like normal) from Friday night, and we had to turn the heater off as we were feeling sick from the fumes and had headaches as a result. Can you imagine how we felt having guests feeling cold in the middle of the coldest weekend this winter?

I think this is probably the gas company using cheap gas mixed into the normal high-quality gas at a time of high usage to make extra profits by using cheap smelly gas.

I tried calling and they passed me off to someone else who didn't answer the phone after hours. This is NOT good customer service by a supposed reputable Aussie company!! It is also despicable that we are charged for smelly gas when we need heating most! Tonight it is still smelly and we had to turn it off again.

Ron

[cookinwithgas]

Hi Everybody,

To all of you who have experienced the strong kero smell form your gas heaters natural gas or LPG, there is nothing wrong with the heater.

What is causing the heater to make the kero smell is that you....yes you...you have used some type of oil based product somewhere in the house. Even around outside the house..... even your neighbours using  something. Yes, the wind can blow the fumes everywhere. Even if you can't smell it and the fumes are in the air and the heater is turned on....it will produce a kero smell.

Any product that has the red triangle symbol on the container meaning it's flammable will cause the kero smell if you use the heater.

So stop blaming AGL or your heater.

But you still need to have your gas heater serviced every 2 or 3 years.

David, Northgas Appliance Services

[Rob73]

Hi, we have noticed the same thing, especially at night, we just bought a brand new heater. And the smell of like kerosene burning. Due the heater being 1 week old and it came up with a fault low gas pressure is very strange...and it wasn’t a cheap heater $1400. so I went and switched the gas cooktop on and that exact same smell...very disappointing that such a big company has so many people complaining about the same thing and smell. 

[rmilliken100]

Today (07/07/21) our gas in also smells like kero and no it's has nothing to do with remnants of arosole, cleaning products or any other excuse as yesterday there was no smell and today it is really smelly. Please explain this. No other excuses or blaming something else please. 

[ConnorM0]

I have same problem

brand new

I'm allergic so have zero petrochemical cleaning products

the result is it not being burnt in,its not gas I'm on LPG when I smelt it my gas fitter came round in 10 mins,he told me these Rennai heaters all smell,but yet in the manual it says it is not a fault that it omits an odour

gas leaks smell like rotten eggs

Why do they not say not recomended for allergy or asthmatic sufferers

I have to leave my windows open and it still stinks

They tried to tell me all gas heaters smell

over my life I grew up with gas heating in the 60's     and had  different gas heated properties,my last gas heater was 2nd hand for $50 no smell

far out we can produce non toxic gas heating in the 60's 

but not now

why does not rennai take responsibilty

[Lester]

I have read recent and current news articles about state govcos wanting the ban gas from new home installations, and they say this is for health reasons . . . although I have seen Victoria cited to have a supply issue looming in the near future for some reason too . . . also minor mentions of climate change and switching to 'greener' renewable electric and hydrogen options.

I just googled > why does Australia want to ban gas in homes < and health reasons were mostly brought up . . .

Some gas appliances can release dangerous gases including carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.

Note 'SOME' appliances above ?

I assume this is generic as in how some appliances burn gas and how much efficiency it the way it burns, ventilation, etc.

It could be a Rennai thing, or gas stoves without a good extractor hood system to outside air (not the ceiling cavity), might cause issues.

NO2 apparently smells 'pungent', whatever that means, an 'acrid, ammonia-like odor' and 'a bleach like smell'.

[ConnorM0]

I heard Back From Rennai and they are going to replace it with another space heater,I told them I wanted a Radience heater instead,but company policy said NO,WTF I even am happy to lose money to get one that does not make me sick

I live in Tweed Heads so really not much opportunity to use it yet,but for the first time in 6 yrs I just got another script of Asthma medication.

I find it interesting I dont have this is writing,they called me.

Gone are the days you can just send it back and get a refund

These heaters should have warnings for allergy and asthmatic suffers

truth is I will suffer this winter and buy Altese radient heater next winter