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 unit starts making weird sounds. Some noises — like several minor pops or clicks ahead of the warm air beginning to blow — are normal and harmless. But others could affect the equipment or even threaten your health if you dismiss them. Among the possible noises that you may hear, here are nine that warrant an immediate furnace repair.
Scraping Furnace Noise
If you hear a sound like metal scraping on metal, this could suggest the blower wheel has come loose from the motor shaft, or the wheel or motor mount is broke. No matter what the precise problem, you should power down your furnace if you discover a scraping sound and call a professional for an emergency repair.
Loud Boom at Startup
When your furnace starts up, the burners should ignite immediately and get started heating your home. A loud boom at startup potentially means the burners are dirty, resulting in delayed ignition. When the gas finally does ignite, you hear this terrifying furnace noise.
A small explosion each time your furnace turns on could crack the heat exchanger, an expensive repair that may necessitate you to switch out the entire furnace. Act before it gets to this point! 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 typically implies poor lubrication. Like many mechanical equipment with moving parts inside, they need lightweight oil to run smoothly. If these parts are dry, components grate against each other and cause needless wear and tear. We suggest getting 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 notice chirping during the first furnace cycle of the season, it could just mean your furnace is warming up after several months of no use. In this situation, the sound should go away after a few cycles.
However, if the chirping does not end, it could mean 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 hazard, but the only solution to get rid of the irritating furnace noise is to have a technician conduct a repair.
Screeching Furnace
Screeching noises are an unmistakable warning sign that the fan belt is failing. If the fraying belt splits, it could whip around inside the furnace, breaking other components and contributing to a much more expensive repair. Insulate yourself from this hassle by changing the worn-out belt sooner rather than later.
Repeated Clicking.
Some furnaces give off a fast series of clicks when they flip on and off. There is nothing unusual about that. Having said that, if the noise carries on longer than approximately 60 seconds, this could indicate an electrical problem. Don't risk an electrical fire! Simply call a furnace repair professional to correct the problem without delay.
Thwapping Sounds
The blower motor should run without problems when the furnace turns on. If you hear a thwapping sound that quickly picks up speed as the blower gets going, this could mean something is snagged in the fan, and the blades are striking it with each rotation. A simple repair should be all you need to stop this bothersome furnace noise and prevent 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 persists, the most plausible reason is a malfunctioning blower motor. Treat this as 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 release. These aren’t critical matters, but if you fix it soon, you’ll pay 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 align with 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 have emergency furnace repair to get your unit performing properly 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 fix it! For more information or to arrange a furnace repair visit, please contact a Service Experts office near you.