If you've had your furnace for several winter seasons, you know how it’s supposed to sound. So it will likely catch your attention if the system starts making strange sounds. Some noises — like a couple of small pops or clicks before the warm air beginning to blow — are perfectly harmless. But others could damage the equipment or even threaten your health if you ignore them. Of all the furnace noises you might encounter, here are nine that are worthy of an immediate furnace repair.
Scraping Furnace Noise
When you hear a sound like metal against metal, this could suggest the blower wheel has come loose from the motor shaft, or the wheel or motor mount has broken. No matter the exact 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 your furnace starts up, the burners should ignite immediately and begin heating your home. A loud boom at startup potentially means the burners are dirty, which causes a delayed ignition. When the gas eventually does ignite, you hear this shocking furnace noise.
A small blast each time your furnace turns on could bust the heat exchanger, a pricey repair that may force you to switch out the entire furnace. Don't wait to act when you hear a noise like that! Switch 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 squealing furnace noise typically implies 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 unwanted wear and tear. Our recommendation is to have this situation remedied right away to prevent premature furnace failure.
Chirping Noise
The sound of a bird caught in your furnace definitely warrants investigation. If you notice chirping coming from the furnace upon the first activation of the season, it could simply mean your furnace is warming up after months of no use. In cases like this, the sound should end after a few cycles.
However, if the chirping continues, it could indicate the pulley for the blower motor is crooked or the mounting plate is coming in contact with the blower wheel. This isn’t automatically a safety threat, but the only option to get rid of the pesky furnace noise is to have a technician perform a repair.
Screeching Furnace
Screeching noises are definite indicators that the fan belt is failing. If the fraying belt cracks, it could create all kinds of issues inside the furnace, breaking other components and leading to a much more expensive repair. You can protect yourself from this unexpected expense by changing the worn-out belt sooner rather than later.
Continual Clicking.
Some furnaces give off a rapid series of clicks when they turn on and off. This is completely normal. That said, if the noise carries on longer than about one minute, this could indicate an electrical issue. To avoid risking a house fire, call a furnace repair professional to correct the problem immediately.
Thwapping Sounds
The blower motor should run smoothly when the furnace switches on. If you hear a thwapping sound that dramatically picks up speed as the blower gets going, this is a strong indication that something is stuck in the fan, and the blades are hitting it with each rotation. A straightforward repair should be all it takes to get rid of this bothersome furnace noise and protect against damaging the blower motor.
Rattling Furnace
There are several possible reasons for your furnace to produce a rattling sound. It might be as easy as a loose door cover, so start there. If the rattling remains, 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
When these noises come from the furnace, it could mean the air intake vent is dislodged. If the whistling or vibrating comes from a vent, your ductwork is likely separated somewhere, allowing conditioned air to leak. These aren’t urgent matters, but if you address it promptly, you’ll spend less 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 match these descriptions? It might be nothing, but the only way to know for sure is to call a professional. At Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer emergency furnace repair to get your heater back up and running as quickly as possible. Feel safe 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! For more information or to arrange a furnace repair visit, please contact a Service Experts office near you.