If you've had your furnace for several winter seasons, you know how it’s supposed to sound. So you'll likely notice if the unit starts making strange noises. Some noises — like a couple of small pops or clicks ahead of the warm air beginning to blow — are completely harmless. But others could affect 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
The moment you hear a sound like metal scraping on metal, this could mean the blower wheel is becoming detached from the motor shaft, or the wheel or motor mount has broken. No matter the precise problem, you should switch 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 without delay and begin heating your home. A loud boom at startup potentially means the burners are dirty, producing a delayed ignition. When the gas finally does ignite, you hear this terrifying furnace noise.
A small blast each time your furnace turns on could break the heat exchanger, an expensive repair that may force you to replace the entire furnace. Don't wait to act when you hear a noise like that! 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 squealing furnace noise typically implies poor lubrication. Like many mechanical equipment with moving parts inside, they need lightweight oil to function smoothly. If the parts are not lubricated, components rub against each other and cause needless wear and tear. Look into having this problem remedied right away to prevent premature furnace failure.
Chirping Noise
The sound of a bird lodged in your furnace definitely warrants investigation. If you hear chirping when you fire up the furnace for the first time of the season, it could just mean your furnace is warming up after months of no use. In this situation, the sound should dissipate after a few cycles.
However, if the chirping doesn’t subside, 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 necessarily a safety threat, but the only option to stop the irritating furnace noise is to have a technician perform a repair.
Screeching Furnace
Screeching noises are clear and certain signs that the fan belt is failing. If the fraying belt splits, it could spin inside the furnace, breaking other components and leading to a much more expensive repair. Avoid this hassle and cost by changing 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. However, if the noise continues longer than about one minute, this could indicate an electrical complication. To avoid risking a house fire, call a furnace repair professional to fix the problem promptly.
Thwapping Sounds
The blower motor should run without problems when the furnace activates. If you notice a thwapping sound that quickly picks up speed as the blower gets going, this could mean something is stuck in the fan, and the blades are striking it with each rotation. A simple repair should be all you need to eliminate this annoying furnace noise and prevent 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 check this first. If the rattling persists, the most likely culprit 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 detached, allowing conditioned air to leak. These aren’t critical matters, but if you address it promptly, you’ll spend less on your heating and cooling bills over the long haul.
Schedule Furnace Repair with Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
Are you uncertain whether the furnace noises you hear match these descriptions? Perhaps nothing is wrong, but for your peace of mind, the best thing to do is to call a professional. At Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, we provide emergency furnace repair to get your heater functioning properly as quickly 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 set things right! For more information or to arrange a furnace repair visit, please contact a Service Experts office near you.