After a few years of running your furnace every winter, you know how it’s supposed to sound. So you might be caught off guard if the system starts making weird sounds. Some noises — like a few faint pops or clicks ahead of the warm air beginning to blow — are completely harmless. But others could affect the equipment or even jeopardize your health if you neglect them. While there are many more furnace noises to consider, 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 indicate the blower wheel is becoming detached from the motor shaft, or the wheel or motor mount has broken. No matter the exact problem, you should power down your furnace if you notice a scraping sound and call a professional for an urgent repair.
Loud Boom at Startup
When you start your furnace, the burners should ignite without delay and get started heating your home. A loud boom at startup likely means the burners are dirty, which causes a delayed ignition. When the gas finally does ignite, you hear this scary furnace noise.
A small blast each time your furnace turns on could bust the heat exchanger, an expensive repair that may necessitate 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 screaky or loud squealing furnace noise typically indicates poor lubrication. Shaft bearings and other moving parts require lightweight oil to run smoothly. If these parts are dry, components grind against each other and cause needless wear and tear. Our recommendation is to have this situation remedied right away to avoid premature furnace failure.
Chirping Noise
The sound of a bird entrapped in your furnace absolutely warrants investigation. If you perceive chirping when you fire up the furnace for the first time of the season, it could merely mean your furnace is warming up after several months of no use. In this situation, the sound should stop after a few cycles.
However, if the chirping doesn’t subside, it could mean the pulley for the blower motor is misaligned or the mounting plate is coming in contact with the blower wheel. This isn’t automatically a safety hazard, but the only way to get rid of the irritating furnace noise is to have a technician conduct a repair.
Screeching Furnace
Screeching noises are clear and certain signs that the fan belt is wearing out. If the fraying belt cracks, it could create all kinds of issues inside the furnace, harming other components and resulting in a much more expensive repair. Insulate yourself from this hassle by replacing the worn-out belt sooner rather than later.
Constant Clicking.
Some furnaces give off a quick series of clicks when they turn on and off. This is common and no reason to be concerned. That said, if the noise lasts longer than a minute or so, this could signal an electrical complication. To avoid risking a house fire, call a furnace repair professional to correct the problem promptly.
Thwapping Sounds
The blower motor should operate smoothly when the furnace turns on. If you notice 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 smacking it with each rotation. A simple repair should be all that's required 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 start there. If the rattling remains, the most plausible root cause is a declining blower motor. Take this as a warning sign to have your furnace repaired before it is an urgent situation.
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 escape. These aren’t emergency matters, but if you have them fixed quickly, 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 uncertain whether the furnace noises you hear correspond to these descriptions? It might be nothing, but if you want to be 100% sure, the easiest thing to do is to call a professional. At Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer emergency furnace repair to get your heater performing properly as fast as possible. Be confident 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.