After a few years of running your furnace every winter, you know how it’s supposed to sound. So you might be caught off guard if the unit starts making unfamiliar noises. Some noises — like a couple of small pops or clicks ahead of the warm air beginning to blow — are perfectly harmless. But others could ruin the equipment or even threaten your health if you neglect them. Of all the furnace noises you might encounter, here are nine that justify an immediate furnace repair.
Scraping Furnace Noise
When you hear a sound like metal scraping on metal, this could mean the blower wheel has loosened from the motor shaft, or the wheel or motor mount is broke. No matter the precise problem, you should turn off your furnace if you notice a scraping sound and call a professional for an critical repair.
Loud Boom at Startup
When you start your furnace, the burners should ignite immediately and begin heating your home. A loud boom at startup potentially means the burners are dirty, causing a delayed ignition. When the gas finally does ignite, you hear this terrifying furnace noise.
A small explosion each time your furnace turns on could break the heat exchanger, a costly repair that may necessitate you to remove and replace the entire furnace. Act before it gets to this point! Shut off your furnace if you hear a loud boom at startup, and do not activate it again until it has been repaired.
Squealing or Whining Sounds
A squealing furnace noise typically implies poor lubrication. Shaft bearings and other moving parts require lightweight oil to operate smoothly. If the parts are not lubricated, components rub against each other and cause unwanted wear and tear. We suggest getting this problem remedied right away to protect against premature furnace failure.
Chirping Noise
The sound of a bird trapped in your furnace absolutely warrants investigation. If you perceive chirping during the first furnace cycle of the season, it could just mean your furnace is warming up after an extended period of no use. In this situation, the sound should go away after a few cycles.
However, if the chirping does not end, it could imply the pulley for the blower motor is crooked or the mounting plate is contacting the blower wheel. This isn’t necessarily a safety risk, but the only choice to stop the pesky furnace noise is to have a technician conduct a repair.
Screeching Furnace
Screeching noises are clear and certain signs that the fan belt is wearing out. If the fraying belt breaks, it could create all kinds of issues inside the furnace, breaking other components and contributing to a much more expensive repair. Insulate yourself from this hassle by exchanging the worn-out belt sooner rather than later.
Repeated Clicking.
Some furnaces give off a fast series of clicks when they switch on and off. This is completely normal. That said, if the noise carries on longer than a minute or so, this could indicate an electrical complication. To avoid risking a house fire, call a furnace repair professional to solve the problem without delay.
Thwapping Sounds
The blower motor should function properly when the furnace turns on. If you discover a thwapping sound that dramatically picks up speed as the blower gets going, this could mean something is snagged in the fan, and the blades are striking it with each rotation. A simple repair should be all that's required to eliminate this annoying furnace noise and reduce the risk of damaging the blower motor.
Rattling Furnace
A few different problems can cause your furnace to rattle. It might be as simple as a loose door cover, so verify that option first. If the rattling persists, the most likely reason is a declining blower motor. Treat this as a warning sign to have your furnace repaired before it breaks down completely.
Whistling or Vibrating
Noises such as a teapot whistle or the hum of a vibrating item are signals of a problem with the air intake vent. If the whistling or vibrating comes from a vent, your ductwork is likely detached, allowing conditioned air to escape. These aren’t critical matters, but if you fix it soon, you’ll save money on your heating and cooling bills in the long run.
Schedule Furnace Repair with Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
Are you unsure whether the furnace noises you hear correspond to these descriptions? Maybe nothing’s wrong, but for your peace of mind, the best thing to do is to call a professional. At Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer emergency furnace repair to get your system back up and running as fast as possible. Be confident knowing that we stand behind our work with a one-year, 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re dissatisfied with our work anytime in the next 12 months, we’ll fix it! To find out more or to arrange a furnace repair visit, please speak a Service Experts office near you.