As your furnace starts up and prepares to add warmth to your house, it’s typical for it to make some noise. These sounds, such as the burners firing up and the blower operating, are all part of the typical start-up steps.
But there are a few steps you can do to make your furnace less noisy this winter.
1. Request Yearly Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is extremely important, because it keeps your manufacturer warranty in place. This helps defend you if something major stops working in your furnace during your warranty range.
It can also help our professionals discover minor issues that could make your furnace noisy. And maybe help you sidestep a meltdown on the most frigid day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can reduce your chance of furnace breakdowns by up to 95%.
If little furnace troubles go ignored, they may result in trouble down the road. By finding these problems sooner, our pros can get your furnace fixed before heating season begins.
And most important, professional 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 bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Frequently Install a New Furnace’s Air Filter
Your air filter helps keep your home’s air fresh and clean. When it becomes too filthy, it can make your furnace turn on and off too often. Called short cycling, this can cause your furnace to use additional fuel and make it stop working faster.
Our advice for changing your furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Once a month
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You could have to get a new filter more frequently if you have allergies or pets.
3. Contact West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. When Your Furnace Is Producing Weird Noises
Some furnaces, particularly older ones, might make more noise than others. But if you’re hearing extremely loud or strange noises, it may be time to get in touch with a heating and cooling company like West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. for furnace repair in West Jefferson.
Here are several noises to be looking for, how to take care of them and when to call a professional.
Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
This noise is more common with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s because they emit fumes dissimilarly than older furnaces, and the process can produce some moisture. If your furnace is having difficulties discharging this water, it can make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll need experienced support for this trouble, since it could 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 producing a banging sound when beginning? Its burners could be dirty. Dirty burners can stall ignition, which causes gas to accumulate inside your furnace.
All that accumulated gas can make a banging or booming sound when your furnace eventually does ignite. But this is more than merely an irritating noise, as the built-up gas is igniting within your furnace. This can break your furnace’s heat exchanger and create a life-threatening carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve neglected regular maintenance for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. a ring at 614-879-9091. Our heating professionals will get your furnace tuned up and make sure it’s working correctly.
Your ductwork can also produce banging sounds when your furnace switches on, since the metal is expanding and contracting.
We recommend first looking at your furnace’s air filter and getting a new one if it’s filthy. Next, double-check you don’t have too many vents sealed in your house, as it can force air pressure out of balance.
If neither of these steps repair the issue, your ductwork may be dirty or undersized, which will call for assistance from a professional HVAC specialist.
Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise
If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a sign there’s electrical troubles. This is most usually seen with a dying blower fan motor, which will produce a loud buzzing noise when your furnace turns on. It may also mean there’s an issue with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these troubles need support from a skilled heating and cooling company like West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc..
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s typically a symptom that an internal piece is breaking down. This could be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It might also be a symptom that your burners are dirty.
These problems are often uncovered during regular maintenance provided by a certified HVAC technician. So, while we’re at your residence doing repairs, don’t forget to check with us about requesting your maintenance appointment for the future.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound could be the result of problems: worn bearings, gas valve problems or ignition troubles. All these problems need pro support.
At West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc., our experts are here to help you enjoy peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than normal or producing strange sounds, contact us at 614-879-9091 to request an appointment today.