Banging, Screeching and Rattling: What Six Familiar Furnace Noises Mean

When your furnace is running like it should, it should deliver warmth without generating too much sound. While it’s expected to catch your furnace making noise as it starts up, other disruptions are indicating your furnace should get immediate professional assistance.

Here are some of the most frequent furnace noises and what they could be indicating. If your furnace is making a weird noise, our friendly heating specialists are here to fix the problem with the best furnace repair in Kearney, Nebraska.

1. Furnace Makes Banging or Knocking Sounds

You might have a serious situation on your hands if you’re hearing your furnace making a banging noise. If your furnace is making a knocking noise, it might mean there could be a couple of problems. These include gas building up in your furnace or a ductwork situation.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Furnace

Your heating system becomes filthy over the years, so that’s why it’s important to schedule routine furnace maintenance with Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning. One of the things our professionals complete during this work is clean your furnace’s burners. When this piece gets grubby, you might hear your furnace making a loud rumbling noise after ignition takes longer than normal. The following gas buildup can fracture your furnace’s heat exchanger, where natural gas turns into warm air. Any cracks in it can discharge carbon monoxide, which is normally emitted outdoors. This dangerous gas can be deadly in large concentrations.

If you’re aware of banging or knocking sounds coming from your furnace, Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning urges you to turn it off and reaching us at 308-624-3485. Too much natural gas in your furnace or a broken heat exchanger are critical issues that require immediate attention.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Ductwork

Your furnace relies on ductwork to provide hot air throughout your house. If the ductwork wasn’t designed properly or is getting old, it can be noisy when your furnace runs. This can be the problem if your furnace makes a banging noise when it shuts off. Contact Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning at 308-624-3485 and we’ll determine the problem.

2. Furnace Making a Buzzing Noise

If you hear your furnace making a buzzing noise, don’t hesitate to call us. A buzzing sound typically indicates an electrical issue, like with its transformer, blower motor or capacitor.

Your furnace depends on an internal transformer to run on the proper voltage. If wires or the box is loose, you may detect a low humming noise in the furnace when off. Your furnace also works with a blower motor, which sends hot or cooled air around your residence, and a capacitor, which turns on the motor. If either of these components are failing, they will buzz when the furnace switches on.

3. Furnace Making a Rattling Noise

If your furnace is making a rattling noise, it can be due to something minor, like a loose screw, or something major, like a broken component. In either case, we urge you to shut your furnace off and contacting our heating professionals at 308-624-3485 for assistance.

4. Furnace Squeals

If your furnace makes a high-pitched noise, like squealing, when it’s on, it’s trying to alert you it requires some TLC. If you’ve neglected furnace maintenance recently, belts could be worn down or a bearing may need to be lubed. We realize that maintenance sometimes slips your mind, but our professionals can get your furnace operating quietly again rapidly.

5. Furnace Makes a Whistling Sound Like Air Escaping

When you’re noticing your furnace making a whistling noise, it’s typically because of an air leak in your ductwork. You might also notice whistling while the furnace is on if a floor vent isn’t tight. If you’ve examined your vents but are still hearing whistling, Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning can provide support. It’s important to get loose ductwork repaired fast, because it can create comfort troubles in your house and increase your heating costs.

6. Furnace Makes Noise that Sounds Like Scraping Metal

It’s not a good sign if you detect your furnace making a grinding noise. This metal-on-metal sound frequently means there’s trouble with your furnace’s blower. Switch off your furnace off immediately and contact us at 308-624-3485 for support.

When you’re hearing a weird noise from your furnace, Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning is here to provide assistance. Contact us at 308-624-3485 to book your furnace repair appointment today.