Over time, when you fire up your furnace, you know how it’s supposed to sound. So it will likely catch your attention if the equipment starts making weird sounds. Some noises — like a couple of small pops or clicks ahead of the warm air beginning to blow — are completely harmless. But others could ruin the equipment or even threaten your health if you dismiss them. While there are many more furnace noises to consider, here are nine that justify an immediate furnace repair.
Scraping Furnace Noise
The moment you hear a sound like metal rubbing on metal, this could mean the blower wheel has loosened from the motor shaft, or the wheel or motor mount is damaged or failing. No matter the precise problem, you should turn off your furnace if you notice a scraping sound and call a professional for an urgent repair.
Loud Boom at Startup
When you fire up your furnace, the burners should ignite right away and start heating your home. A loud boom at startup probably means the burners are dirty, which causes a delayed ignition. When the gas eventually does ignite, you hear this shocking furnace noise.
A small boom each time your furnace turns on could break the heat exchanger, a pricey repair that may necessitate you to replace the entire furnace. Act before it gets to this point! Shut off your furnace if you hear a loud boom at startup, and don’t use it again until it has been repaired.
Squealing or Whining Sounds
A screaky or loud squealing furnace noise generally indicates poor lubrication. Like many mechanical equipment with moving parts inside, they need lightweight oil to function smoothly. Without this, components grate against each other and cause unwanted wear and tear. Look into having this situation remedied right away to avoid premature furnace failure.
Chirping Noise
The sound of a bird entrapped in your furnace absolutely warrants investigation. If you hear chirping when you fire up the furnace for the first time of the season, it could simply mean your furnace is warming up after several months of no use. In this situation, the sound should stop 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 coming in contact with the blower wheel. This isn’t necessarily a safety threat, but the only option to get rid of the pesky furnace noise is to have a technician conduct a repair.
Screeching Furnace
Screeching noises are an unmistakable warning sign that the fan belt is deteriorating. If the fraying belt cracks, it could whip around inside the furnace, harming other components and contributing to a much more expensive repair. Insulate yourself from this hassle by replacing the worn-out belt sooner rather than later.
Persistent Clicking.
Some furnaces give off a quick series of clicks when they flip on and off. This is common and no reason to be concerned. Having said that, if the noise continues longer than about one minute, this could signal an electrical complication. To avoid risking a house fire, call a furnace repair professional to correct the problem without delay.
Thwapping Sounds
The blower motor should function without problems when the furnace turns on. If you hear a thwapping sound that dramatically picks up speed as the blower gets going, this could mean something is stuck in the fan, and the blades are smacking it with each rotation. A straightforward repair should be all it takes to get rid of 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 start there. If the rattling remains, the most likely reason is a failing blower motor. Consider this a warning sign to have your furnace repaired before it breaks down completely.
Whistling or Vibrating
When your furnace has an air intake vent issue, you will often hear a whistling or humming vibration sound. If the whistling or vibrating comes from a vent, your ductwork is likely separated somewhere, allowing conditioned air to escape. These aren’t emergency matters, but if you have them fixed quickly, 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 uncertain whether the furnace noises you hear align with these descriptions? Perhaps nothing is wrong, but if you want to be 100% sure, the easiest thing to do is to call a professional. At Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer emergency furnace repair to get your heater functioning properly as soon as possible. Rest assured knowing that we stand behind our work with a one-year, 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re unhappy with our work anytime in the next 12 months, we’ll get it corrected! To find out more or to arrange a furnace repair visit, please get in touch with a Service Experts office near you.