There are a variety of problems that can cause your furnace to produce loud noises. Types of noises such as scraping, banging, whistling, and popping may be a sign of a loose part, cracked heat exchanger, or dirty gas burners. To help you prevent a gas leak in your house, we have created a list of 7 types of loud furnace sounds and how to troubleshoot them.
Why Is My Furnace Making Loud Noises?
Banging Sounds
If your furnace is making a loud booming or banging noise, the problem may be caused by a small gas explosion that happens when there’s a delay in ignition. Gas can build up in your combustion chamber when the gas burners in your furnace do not ignite on time.
If the gas burners are not igniting efficiently, this is an indicator of a clog or a gas pressure problem. Do not attempt to fix a gas burner without a licensed technician. Disassembling the heat exchanger or burners can cause a gas leak in your house.
Shrieking Noises
If your furnace is making a high-pitched squealing noise, this is an indicator of a problem with the motor such as a damaged belt. If you discover the problem early, it is easy to fix with the correct tools and equipment. Call a licensed contractor to repair the belt before bigger problems are developed in your furnace.
Scraping Sounds
If your furnace is making a scraping noise, this may be a sign of worn out ball bearings. On the other hand, the blower wheel may have also come loose. It’s best to turn the heat off and call a certified HVAC professional in your neighborhood.
Buzzing and Rumbling Noises
When something is loose in your furnace, it can cause vibration. Once a part becomes too loose, the issue can cause buzzing noises and damage to other components in your gas or electric furnace.
Is a buzzing noise in your furnace dangerous? A licensed technician will be able to perform an inspection of the blower motor, hot surface ignitor, heat exchanger, or gas burners to determine if your system is operating safely. A skilled professional has the tools and equipment necessary to tighten loose parts in your furnace.
Read More: What Are the Causes of Weak Airflow From Vents?
Whistling Sounds
Your furnace may be making a whistling noise due to restricted airflow from a clogged air filter. Try changing your air filter and see if the spooky sound goes away.
Popping Noises
At the beginning of a heating cycle, the blower motor distributes warm air into the air ducts in your house. If you notice a loud popping noise when your furnace is activated, the source of this problem is inflation in your air ducts. Once the warm air reaches cold air ducts, the metal will become enlarged to accommodate the change in temperature.
On the other hand, the source of the popping noise may be contaminated gas burners in your furnace. As the furnace in your house becomes older, sediment will start to collect on the burners. If the debris is not removed from the gas burners each year, a large amount of gas will start to collect and cause holes to form in your heat exchanger.
Humming Sounds
A majority of furnaces will produce a low humming noise while they are operating. If this noise is becoming noticeably loud, this is a signal of a severe problem with your blower fan or capacitor. To prevent damage to your fan, it’s important to call a licensed technician to inspect and repair the blower motor.
Read More: Why Is My Sump Pump Constantly Running?
The Scariest Furnace Problems Can Be Silent
If your furnace isn’t making noises, it may have other types of issues that are less noticeable such as a carbon monoxide leak. Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless and tasteless but can be fatal when inhaled.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen due to a crack in the heat exchanger and symptoms can include dizziness, nausea, and fainting. To ensure there are no problems with your furnace, we recommend scheduling a maintenance appointment with our team each season. To play it safe, make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are always working.
Heating & Furnace Repair Services
When your furnace is producing a loud noise, give our team of licensed technicians a call by phone at (703) 543-9649 to schedule an appointment. If your furnace breaks in the first year, we will travel to your home to repair it for free. Our staff offers trustworthy plumbing and HVAC repair services in Centreville, VA and other areas for malfunctioning furnaces, water heater leaks, broken air conditioners, and inefficient heat pumps.
When you call a member of our staff to fix or air conditioner or furnace, a technician will arrive at your house on time. If a member of our team is late, we will not charge you for the air conditioner or furnace repair. We offer upfront pricing with every heating and air conditioning services to ensure satisfaction. Book an appointment to restore the comfort of your home.