The thing about household noises is sometimes they can be easy to ignore or brushed off. It’s easy to deny that anything is wrong, and often desirable to do so since nobody wants to pay for unnecessary repairs.
However, there are some noises that just shouldn’t be ignored, and often they come from your furnace. Now, not all are serious. For instance, a rattle from your furnace might indicate a loose panel that needs to be tightened. But it may instead suggest you have a cracked heat exchanger, which can lead to a hazardous carbon monoxide leak.
On our team, we understand how important it is to protect yourself and your family. If you hear suspicious noises coming from your heating system, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or schedule service on our website. Read on as we uncover some of the noises you never want to hear coming from your furnace.
Clanking
If you think you hear something that resembles metal on metal coming from your furnace, you probably are hearing metal on metal. What you’re likely dealing with is a serious issue with your furnace’s blower wheel. If this is, in fact the case, you need to turn off your furnace for the time being and get in touch with a professional heating technician right away to prevent further damage. More damage means more money!
Screeching
A loud screeching noise is very likely a sign that the blower motor in your heating system isn’t working as it should. A malfunctioning blower motor means that the heat being produced by your furnace won’t be able to circulate warm air around your home successfully.
This may mean that the blower motor needs lubrication, which is not a serious problem—but alternatively, it may suggest that the fan has stopped altogether, which means your furnace simply won’t function efficiently. The best thing you can do is contact a pro to adequately inspect it, so you can make an educated decision on how to move forward.
Banging or Booming
Have you turned on your gas-powered furnace or heard it cycle on, to hear a boom or bang shortly afterward? This can be a dangerous problem for your furnace. It’s typically caused by a delay in the ignition due to the buildup of dirt and grime on the burners. Gas builds up, and then when it ignites, a small explosion occurs within your furnace.
We never recommend that homeowners try to clean the burners themselves—you may injure yourself and you might not do a thorough enough job. Simply put, there is too much room for error in attempting to clean the burners yourself—it’s safer to call in a pro, particularly when dealing with natural gas lines.
Rattling
As we mentioned above, a rattling noise may simply indicate you have a panel that needs tightening. But it could be a cracked heat exchanger, issues with the blower, or a dirty and clogged air filter restricting airflow. Check the air filter first—if changing the air filter doesn’t solve the problem, the safest thing to do is turn off your heating system and call in the pros!
Established in 1912, Max Sr & Paul Schoenwalder Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, A Corp. is your trusted resource for reliable heating repair in New Providence, NJ. Reach out to us today.