Operating a furnace when you notice a burning smell depends entirely on the nature and origin of the odor. If you have just turned on your heating system for the very first time in autumn and the smell is a mild, dusty scent caused by accumulated lint and pet hair burning off the heat exchanger, it is generally safe, and the odor should dissipate within a few hours. However, if the burning smell is sharp, acrid, and resembles melting plastic, burning rubber, or electrical wiring insulation, it indicates a serious hazard such as a failing blower motor, a jammed inducer fan, or a shorted control board. In that case, it is entirely unsafe to continue operating the unit, and you should shut it down immediately at the thermostat and circuit breaker to prevent an electrical fire.
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