As your furnace starts up and gets ready to add warmth to your house, it’s common for it to produce some noise. These sounds, including the burners lighting and the blower operating, are all part of the typical start-up steps.
But there are a couple of steps you can do to make your furnace quieter this winter.
1. Request Regular Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is very important, since it keeps your manufacturer warranty ongoing. This helps defend you if something huge stops working in your furnace during your warranty period.
It can also help our professionals find small issues that could make your furnace loud. And maybe help you prevent a breakdown on the coldest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that annual maintenance can decrease your chance of furnace repairs by up to 95%.
If small furnace problems go ignored, they may lead to trouble down the road. By discovering these issues sooner, our technicians can get your furnace repaired before heating season begins.
And most critical, specialized cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving parts can help make it more efficient. A properly maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your utility costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Routinely Replace Your Furnace’s Air Filter
Your air filter helps keep your house’s air fresh and clean. When it gets too filthy, it can make your furnace turn on and off too often. Called short cycling, this can cause your furnace to eat up additional gas and make it break down faster.
Our suggestions for installing a new furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Monthly
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You may have to replace your filter more often if you have allergies or pets.
3. Get in Touch with McFadden Heating & Cooling When Your Furnace Is Creating Strange Noises
Some furnaces, especially older ones, can be noisier than others. But if you’re hearing very loud or strange noises, you might need to call a heating and cooling company like McFadden Heating & Cooling for furnace repair in Dresden.
Here are a couple of noises to keep an eye out for, how to take care of them and when to contact a professional.
Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
This noise happens more frequently with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s because they emit fumes in another way than older furnaces, and the process can create some moisture. If your furnace is having difficulties discharging this water, it could make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll require skilled support for this issue, since it can be created by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.
Furnace Making Banging Noise
It’s not a positive thing when your furnace is making a banging sound. It can mean several things.
Haven’t requested maintenance recently and your furnace is making a banging sound when turning on? Its burners might be dirty. Dirty burners can stall ignition, which leads gas to accumulate within your furnace.
All that built-up gas can create a banging or booming sound when your furnace finally does ignite. But this is more than merely an irritating noise, because the built-up gas is igniting within your furnace. This can crack your furnace’s heat exchanger and cause a deadly carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve ignored regular service for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give McFadden Heating & Cooling a call at 519-683-2339. Our heating specialists will get your furnace tuned up and double-check it’s running correctly.
Your ductwork can also make banging sounds when your furnace starts, because the metal is expanding and contracting.
We recommend first checking your furnace’s air filter and getting a new one if it’s dirty. Next, make sure you don’t have too many vents closed in your residence, as it can force air pressure out of balance.
If neither of these steps repair the sound, your ductwork may be dirty or undersized, which will be a need for assistance from a pro HVAC technician.
Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise
If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a sign there’s electrical troubles. This is most often seen with a sputtering blower fan motor, which will make a loud buzzing noise when your furnace begins to heat. It can also mean there’s a problem with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these problems need help from a professional heating and cooling company like McFadden Heating & Cooling.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s typically a symptom that an internal piece is dying. This could be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It could also be an indication that your burners are dirty.
These troubles are often uncovered during annual maintenance performed by a certified HVAC technician. So, while we’re at your house doing repairs, don’t forget to inquire about scheduling your maintenance appointment for the upcoming year.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound may be the result of issues: worn bearings, gas valve troubles or ignition issues. All these troubles need professional assistance.
At McFadden Heating & Cooling, our specialists are here to help you unwind in peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it usually is or producing weird sounds, contact us at 519-683-2339 to schedule an appointment right away.