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 unit starts making odd noises. Some noises — like several minor pops or clicks ahead of the warm air beginning to blow — are normal and harmless. But others could ruin the equipment or even endanger your health if you ignore them. Among the possible noises that you may hear, here are nine that are worthy of an immediate furnace repair.
Scraping Furnace Noise
If you hear a sound like metal scraping on metal, this could indicate the blower wheel has loosened from the motor shaft, or the wheel or motor mount has broken. No matter the exact problem, you should switch off your furnace if you discover a scraping sound and call a professional for an emergency repair.
Loud Boom at Startup
When you start your furnace, the burners should ignite immediately and start heating your home. A loud boom at startup potentially means the burners are dirty, which causes a delayed ignition. When the gas at last does ignite, you hear this frightening furnace noise.
A small boom each time your furnace turns on could bust the heat exchanger, an expensive repair that may necessitate you to remove and replace the entire furnace. Act before it gets to this point! Turn 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 high-pitched squealing furnace noise typically signifies poor lubrication. Shaft bearings and other moving parts require lightweight oil to operate smoothly. Without this, components rub against each other and cause unwanted wear and tear. Our recommendation is to have this situation remedied right away to protect against premature furnace failure.
Chirping Noise
The sound of a bird entrapped 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 case, the sound should stop after a few cycles.
However, if the chirping continues, 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 risk, but the only choice to get rid of the annoying 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 splits, it could create all kinds of issues inside the furnace, damaging other components and resulting in a much more expensive repair. Insulate yourself from this hassle by exchanging the worn-out belt sooner rather than later.
Persistent Clicking.
Some furnaces give off a fast series of clicks when they switch on and off. There is nothing unusual about that. However, if the noise persists longer than about one minute, this could signal an electrical problem. Don't risk an electrical fire! Simply call a furnace repair professional to fix the problem promptly.
Thwapping Sounds
The blower motor should function smoothly when the furnace switches on. If you hear a thwapping sound that dramatically picks up speed as the blower gets going, this likely means something is stuck in the fan, and the blades are striking it with each rotation. A quick repair should be all it takes to stop this bothersome 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 easy as a loose door cover, so check this first. If the rattling persists, the most probable root cause is a declining blower motor. Treat this as a warning sign to have your furnace repaired before it is an urgent situation.
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 release. These aren’t critical matters, but if you have them fixed quickly, 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 undecided whether the furnace noises you hear correspond to 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 provide emergency furnace repair to get your system back up and running as soon as possible. Be confident knowing that we stand behind our work with a one-year, 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re disappointed 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 get in touch with a Service Experts office near you.