Why Your Furnace May Be Making These Noises

November 23, 2016

This is the time of year people start turning on their heating systems to settle in for a cold winter. Unfortunately, when some furnaces start up, especially if it hasn’t had a fall heating tune-up, there are some troubles that need to be examined. A major problem you may encounter is your furnace making weird noises – check out these furnace noises you should never disregard.

Scraping Sound

If you hear a loud raking racket that sounds like metal on metal, there is probably something defective with the blower wheel. If you hear something like this, shut off your furnace immediately and call Norrell Service Experts to inspect the system. There are a few things that could be amiss with the blower wheel. First, it may just be loose and if the part is not too harmed, can be tightened. Second, it might be that the blower wheel is broken and in need of replacement. Or third, it could be that the motor mount actually broke, causing the complete blower assembly to shake uncontrollably. One of our service professionals would be happy to come to your home and take a look, and get you back to the noiseless and warm home you have come to adore.

Loud Bang When Furnace Starts

If there is a loud pop when your furnace turns on, there are a handful of things that could be occurring. Two common things are a dirty furnace burner or ignitor. Stretching and contracting air ducts can also produce loud bangs after the heating blower turns on. A soiled furnace burner or ignitor could holdup the burners from igniting, forcing gas to build up. When the gas does finally ignite, it will create the loud boom you hear. This could result in a safety issue, especially if one of those small explosions caused the heat exchanger to break. Not only could that produce a carbon monoxide leak, but you’d end up having to replace the heat exchanger, which may be very expensive.

The other issue, expanding and contracting air ducts, is a typical noise complaint for homes with metal ducts. If your system is making the loud bang and it is produced by your air ducts, it could be an indication of undersized ducts, blocked vents, or a clogged air filter. Norrell Service Experts is happy to visit your home to diagnose your issue and get your home back in working order. Also, this will also provide improved comfort as well.

Whining Noise

If you hear a whining disturbance, it could be the blower belt, shaft bearings in need of oil, or even a malfunctioning blower motor. An annual furnace tune-up will help catch these issues before they become serious problems so make sure you contact us at 205-267-0023 and we’ll make sure your heating equipment is ready to keep you safe and cozy all winter long.

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