Despite their high velocity and intense suction power, vacuum cleaners don't actually operate at high temperatures. While it's certainly common for a freshly vacuumed area of rug to feel warm to the touch, the machinery itself should never get so hot that you smell smoke. Any kind of burning smell coming from your vacuum is not normal and is a major red flag that something is wrong. If you notice a burning smell coming from your vacuum, switch it off right away and try to diagnose the problem. Look for these three signs, and based on what you see, you should be able to determine the culprit. Three things can cause a vacuum cleaner to smoke: (1) the electric motor is running much too hot, (2) the drive belt has jammed, or (3) a lighted cigarette end has been sucked into the machine and is smoldering inside the bag. The electric motor smoking isn't always one caused by one thing, nor is it always obvious. A vacuum motor runs hot if the filters are blocked or if the vacuum bag is full.

Clean the filters at the intake end of the machine, and empty the bag. Upright cleaners have a belt-driven rotary brush at the head of the machine. Check that the belt is still in position and that the rotary brush turns freely. You may find that a large piece of debris has been drawn into the front of the machine and jammed the drive belt. The friction of the drive pulley on the electric motor and the drive belt will create a great deal of heat and a burning smell. If you've vacuumed up an ember from a cigarette or other flame, the only way to deal with it is to empty the vacuum cleaner bag. Fortunately, most of the dirt your vacuum cleaner bag contains is unlikely to burst into flames when you remove the bag from the cleaner, but you should be careful in disposing of it. A hot cable or wall plug can be caused by an overworked motor. After cleaning the filters and emptying the bag, run the vacuum cleaner again to see if the cable or plug gets hot again. If the either the cable or plug gets hot, it means that there is a loose connection between the vacuum cable and the mains.

Check that the wires from the cable are held tightly in the terminals in the plug. This should solve the problem. If the plug still gets hot, check that there is a tight fit between the plug and the socket. If it is difficult to tell, plug the vacuum cleaner into a different socket. If the plug still gets hot, you need to seek help from an electrician. Hair may get wrapped around the ends of the rotary brush and pulled in toward the bearings. The friction against this hair can create heat and produce a burning smell. The hair will have to be cleaned out thoroughly.A musty smell in a home is a result of inadequate cleaning, poor or stagnant air circulation, high humidity and possible moisture problems. If you've ever noticed an odd smell coming from old furniture, clothing or books, or in a poorly ventilated area such as the attic or basement, you have a problem with mold, mildew or fungi. If the mold and mildew growth is heavy it might look like an area of pink, orange, blue, black or green discoloration- on the other hand, if the fungi growth is light you might not be able to see where it is, though you can definitely smell it.

Old furniture is often musty and puts off a smell that I can only describe as a combination of mold and rotten eggs. Blackout Sound Proof CurtainsThe odor may start out as a minor annoyance but will eventually get to the point where the air in your home is bad for your health.  4 Bedroom Homes For Sale In Harlingen TxSo once you start smelling a musty, moldy odor, it’s time to take care of it. Homes For Sale In Stansbury Park UtahThe poor air quality and odor problem won't stop on it's own and will only get worse. Molds and fungi are not healthy for your lungs. Mold spores and noxious gases they put off are aggravating to your health. If you have breathing problems or the smell is particularly bothersome you may want to wear a mask while cleaning it up.

First you need to figure out exactly where the problem is and what is causing the odor: The smell is not caused by the water leaking into your house itself, it’s caused by molds and fungi that are growing where the water is pooling. As they grow in number, mold and mildew put off a sulfur containing gas we all can easily identify. Once established, fungi can easily spread to other areas of a home so it's important to get rid of any water leaks as soon as they’re discovered. Wet basements, leaky faucets and pipes are a common culprit. If wood remains damp it will start to rot and give off an earthy musty smell. Once again, molds and fungi will grow just like it will on any other organic material. If you should see dark stains on wooden items, chances are that they’re becoming wet from a leak somewhere and molds and fungi are growing. This can happen to an item left in a storage shed that water happens to drip on, or it can happen to the baseboard in your home that might have a water pipe leaking behind it.

Leaking roofs allow rain inside which often follows gravity right up to a beam or other supporting structure in a home. Wet wood will continue to rot and allow mold and mildew growth until the source of moisture is stopped. If walls in your home are starting to look very rundown, take the time to look behind them. Most walls are made of drywall which is gypsum or plaster in between 2 sheets of paper. Mold and mildew will grow on the paper backing and it will darken in color, start to flake, blister or peel off. Start by looking in the area with the heaviest discoloration for moisture leaks. Chances are pretty good that either molds or fungi or both are growing behind the walls and will have to be removed. Mold and mildew that covers more than a very small section of the wall will likely indicate a serious problem and the section of wall might need to be removed and replaced by a professional. Molds and fungi love bathrooms and laundry rooms. Both are warm, moist and often leak.

Basements, attics, crawl spaces and air-conditioner vents are great homes for molds and fungi. If you start to see stains on the floors, ceilings or walls, molds and fungi may be growing. Clean the area right away to keep it from spreading further. If it's in a moist area where standing water is common, a good scrubbing along with a spray of 50/50 water and bleach will remove mold and mildew almost instantly. Fabric that is moist or in area of high humidity can be a breeding ground for molds and fungi. Carpets and area rugs trap dirt, hold moisture and can become wet or saturated in the case of plumbing leaks or a cracked foundation. Dust and dirt will settle in the fibers and give off a bad odor if not cleaned occasionally. Look under the carpet to see if the carpet pad is mildewed. If it is, remove that part of the pad and replace. Clean the moldy part of the carpet with a solution of one cup of white vinegar to half a cup of warm water. Then scrub the mildewed area to remove mold.

Turn a fan on the wet spot to dry it quickly. Spread borax on the entire dry carpet. Borax will treat mold, mildew and fungi and keep it from reappearing. Let the borax sit for half an hour or so and then vacuum it up completely. Vacuum upholstered furniture or drapes thoroughly with a vacuum. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to remove mold spores from the circulating air. Steam clean or dry clean the item, dry with a clean towel to remove additional traces of moisture. Move the piece to an area with good air circulation to dry completely. Once the musty odors are gone, it’s best to try to prevent molds and mildews from regrowing. A dehumidifier or air conditioner will keep the air in your home drier which will help prevent new growth of molds and fungi. It will also help to remove musty odors by replacing old air with new, fresh air. Follow manufacturers recommendations on cleaning your dehumidifier and air conditioner filters to reduce mold, mildew, and odors from being recycled back into the air.