As your furnace starts up and gets ready to heat your house, it’s typical for it to create some noise. These sounds, including the burners igniting and the blower running, are all part of the normal start-up process.
But there are several steps you can do to make your furnace less noisy this winter.
1. Book Annual Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is extremely important, because it keeps your manufacturer warranty ongoing. This helps defend you if something huge stops working in your furnace during your warranty range.
It can also help our pros discover little issues that could make your furnace noisy. And maybe help you sidestep a malfunction on the coldest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can lower your chance of furnace malfunctions by up to 95%.
If little furnace troubles go ignored, they may result in trouble in the future. By discovering these issues sooner, our techs can get your furnace fixed before heating season is underway.
And most critical, professional cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving components can help make it more efficient. A properly maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your energy expenses, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Regularly Install a New Furnace’s Air Filter
Your air filter helps keep your home’s air fresh and clean. When it gets too clogged, it can make your furnace turn on and off too often. Known as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to use additional energy and make it stop working faster.
Our recommendations for installing a new furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Monthly
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You might have to change your filter more regularly if you have allergies or pets.
3. Call TopTec When Your Furnace Is Making Weird Noises
Some furnaces, often older ones, could be louder than others. But if you’re hearing exceedingly loud or strange noises, you might need to call a heating and cooling company like TopTec for furnace repair in Libertyville.
Here are several noises to keep an eye out for, how to fix them and when to call a pro.
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 make some moisture. If your furnace is having difficulties removing this water, it might make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll want skilled support for this problem, 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 may mean a couple of things.
Haven’t had maintenance done recently and your furnace is making a banging sound when starting? Its burners may be dirty. Dirty burners can hold up ignition, which leads gas to accumulate in your furnace.
All that increased gas can cause a banging or booming sound when your furnace finally does ignite. But this is more than merely an irritating noise, since the increased gas is erupting within your furnace. This can crack your furnace’s heat exchanger and make a dangerous carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve forgotten regular maintenance for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give TopTec a call at 847-362-0262. 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 turns on, as the metal is expanding and contracting.
We recommend first inspecting your furnace’s air filter and getting a new one if it’s clogged. Next, make sure you don’t have too many vents closed in your house, as it can force air pressure out of balance.
If neither of these steps repair the issue, your ductwork might be dirty or undersized, which will call 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 an electrical issue. This is most usually seen with a dying blower fan motor, which will make a loud buzzing noise when your furnace begins to heat. It could also mean there’s trouble with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these problems need help from an experienced heating and cooling company like TopTec.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s typically a symptom that an internal component is dying. This may be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It can also be a sign that your burners are dirty.
These troubles are typically uncovered during yearly maintenance provided by a certified HVAC technician. So, while we’re at your home doing repairs, don’t forget to inquire about scheduling your maintenance appointment for next year.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound might be the result of issues: worn bearings, gas valve troubles or ignition issues. All these problems need pro support.
At TopTec, our pros are here to help you relax in peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than normal or producing odd sounds, contact us at 847-362-0262 to schedule an appointment now.