A new furnace still has a strong gas-like smell. Is that a normal new-equipment smell?

Separate the smell from the explanation

Manufacturers distinguish a temporary dusty startup odor from sulfur or rotten-egg odors that can signal gas trouble. Calling an odor “new furnace smell” does not establish which one is present. Carrier furnace odor guidance.

Give the installer the sequence you already noticed: when the odor began, whether it worsened after replacement, whether it occurs between heat cycles, and any prior utility findings. Do not recreate it for a video or try to locate a leak yourself.

Ask for the installation startup record and the follow-up finding. What was checked at the new connections? Was the vent arrangement and furnace operation reviewed under the installed model's instructions? What remains to be corrected, and who will confirm completion? Those are questions to ask the qualified evaluator, not tests to perform yourself.

What if no alarm sounds?

Do not wait for an alarm before reporting suspected gas. Carbon monoxide is a different gas and cannot be smelled. Alarm silence cannot answer the cause of this odor. Atmos Energy directs immediate reporting of suspected gas. Atmos Energy safety information, CDC CO basics.

A completed installation and an unresolved odor can exist at the same time. The next step is to establish what was found and follow the responders' directions about return and appliance use. Do not accept a product-age explanation in place of addressing the reported smell.