After a few years of running your furnace every winter, you know how it’s supposed to sound. So it will likely catch your attention if the equipment starts making strange sounds. 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 jeopardize your health if you ignore them. While there are many more furnace noises to consider, here are nine that warrant an immediate furnace repair.
Scraping Furnace Noise
When you hear a sound like metal rubbing on metal, this could mean the blower wheel has come loose from the motor shaft, or the wheel or motor mount has broken. No matter what the specific problem, you should switch off your furnace if you notice a scraping sound and call a professional for an critical repair.
Loud Boom at Startup
When you fire up your furnace, the burners should ignite right away and begin heating your home. A loud boom at startup likely means the burners are dirty, which causes a delayed ignition. When the gas at last does ignite, you hear this scary furnace noise.
A small explosion each time your furnace turns on could bust the heat exchanger, a pricey repair that might require you to remove and replace the entire furnace. Don't wait to act when you hear a noise like that! Shut off your furnace if you hear a loud boom at startup, and avoid using it again until it has been repaired.
Squealing or Whining Sounds
A high-pitched squealing furnace noise usually signifies poor lubrication. Like many mechanical equipment with moving parts inside, they need lightweight oil to run smoothly. Without this, components grind against each other and cause unnecessary wear and tear. We suggest getting this issue remedied right away to prevent premature furnace failure.
Chirping Noise
The sound of a bird entrapped in your furnace absolutely warrants investigation. If you hear chirping during the first furnace cycle of the season, it could simply mean your furnace is warming up after several months of no use. In cases like this, the sound should dissipate after a few cycles.
However, if the chirping doesn’t subside, it could imply the pulley for the blower motor is out of alignment or the mounting plate is touching the blower wheel. This isn’t automatically a safety hazard, but the only choice to eliminate 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 deteriorating. If the fraying belt splits, it could create all kinds of issues inside the furnace, harming other components and leading to a much more expensive repair. Insulate yourself from this hassle by replacing the worn-out belt sooner rather than later.
Continual Clicking.
Some furnaces give off a rapid series of clicks when they flip on and off. This is completely normal. That said, if the noise carries on longer than approximately 60 seconds, this could indicate an electrical issue. Don't risk your home catching fire by a faulty electrical situation; call a furnace repair professional to fix the problem immediately.
Thwapping Sounds
The blower motor should run without problems when the furnace switches on. If you discover a thwapping sound that rapidly picks up speed as the blower gets going, this is a strong indication that something is stuck in the fan, and the blades are smacking it with each rotation. A simple repair should be all that's required to get rid of this annoying furnace noise and protect against damaging the blower motor.
Rattling Furnace
A few different problems can cause your furnace to rattle. It might be as basic as a loose door cover, so verify that option first. If the rattling remains, the most probable culprit is a failing blower motor. Consider this a warning sign to have your furnace repaired before it entirely fails.
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 loose, allowing conditioned air to leak. These aren’t emergency matters, but if you fix it soon, you’ll save money on your heating and cooling bills long term.
Schedule Furnace Repair with Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
Are you undecided whether the furnace noises you hear match these descriptions? It might be nothing, 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 unit functioning properly 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 get it corrected! For additional information or to arrange a furnace repair visit, please speak a Service Experts office near you.