Not Just A Noice: 4 Sounds Signifying Your Furnace Needs Repairs

Is your furnace making strange noises that you've never heard before? If so, you may be wondering what they mean. Furnaces usually produce some sort of sound as they heat the air coming from the home. However, when you start hearing unusual sounds that didn't exist before, you should be worried. These usually signify a problem with the components. If ignored, such issues can lead to system failure. Contact an HVAC repairs expert if you notice any of the following sounds coming from your furnace.

Grinding or Scraping Noises

Grinding or scraping sounds are usually a result of wear and tear of various system components. The furnace motor has ball bearings that help to lower friction as air circulates in the system. Lack of lubrication or old age may increase friction, causing a grinding or scraping sound as the parts move against each other. These sounds can also result from a loose or broken blower wheel. You need to replace the worn parts to prevent further damage to the furnace.

Popping or Booming Sounds

Popping or booming sounds usually come about when there is delayed ignition in the burner assembly. This occurs due to a dirty burner assembly. When the component is dirty, carbon particles build up on the burner jets. This causes them to ignite later than they should, a situation which leads to popping sounds in the furnace. You can eliminate this problem by regularly cleaning your burner assembly. If the burner clogs too much, the jets won't light up at all, and this will prevent your furnace from working.

Humming or Whining Noises

Humming noises occur in the blower motor. The furnace motor has various moving parts that require lubrication to function correctly. If they aren't lubricated, these parts grind against each other and cause a humming or whining noise. You can fix this problem by keeping the motor components lubricated. However, note that this noise could also signal motor failure. You need to get the furnace checked by an HVAC contractor to ensure the motor is working correctly.

Banging Sounds

A banging sound could be the last thing you hear before your furnace stops working. It usually indicates the system is working harder than it should, and it can fail at any time. Banging sounds could also signal various problems, such as the following:

  • Severe clogs in the burner assembly
  • Dirty air filter
  • Poor quality ductwork
  • Inadequate ventilation

If your system is new, banging sounds could indicate poorly sized ductwork. Ask an HVAC contractor to check the ducts and possibly install correctly sized ones for quiet operations.

Furnace sounds could indicate small issues such as a dirty filter or major ones such as a failing motor. Seek the services of an HVAC contractor for quality furnace tune-ups and repairs. Contact a company like Moore Heating & Air Conditioning Inc to learn more.

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