As your furnace turns on and begins to warm up your home, it’s normal for it to make some noise. These sounds, including the burners firing up and the blower operating, are all part of the typical start-up process.
But there are a couple of things you can do to make your furnace quieter this winter.
1. Schedule Yearly Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is extremely important, since it keeps your manufacturer warranty ongoing. This helps protect you if something big stops working in your furnace during your warranty period.
It can also help us find small issues that could make your furnace noisy. And maybe help you prevent a malfunction on the chilliest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can decrease your likelihood of furnace breakdowns by up to 95%.
If minor furnace troubles go ignored, they may lead to trouble in the future. By unearthing these issues sooner, our pros can get your furnace taken care of before heating season is at its peak.
And most important, professional cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving components can help make it more efficient. A well-maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your heating bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Routinely Replace Your Furnace’s Air Filter
Your air filter helps keep your residence’s air fresh and clean. When it becomes too filthy, it can make your furnace turn on and off too often. Known as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to use additional fuel and make it stop working faster.
Our suggestions for replacing your furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Monthly
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You could have to change your filter more regularly if you have allergies or pets.
3. Call Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning When Your Furnace Is Making Strange Noises
Some furnaces, especially older ones, may make more noise than others. But if you’re hearing very loud or strange noises, you should get in touch with a heating and cooling company like Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning for furnace repair in Kearney.
Here are several noises to keep an eye out for, how to repair them and when to get in touch with a pro.
Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
This noise happens more frequently with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s since they exhaust fumes in another way than older furnaces, and the process can produce some moisture. If your furnace is having difficulties discharging this water, it might make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll require experienced} support for this problem, since it may be created by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.
Furnace Making Banging Noise
It’s not a good thing when your furnace is making a banging sound. It might mean a couple of things.
Haven’t scheduled maintenance recently and your furnace is creating a banging sound when beginning? Its burners might be dirty. Dirty burners can stall ignition, which results in gas accumulating within your furnace.
All that accumulated gas can cause a banging or booming noise when your furnace ultimately} does ignite. But this is more than just an irritating noise, because the increased gas is exploding within your furnace. This can damage your furnace’s heat exchanger and make a life-threatening carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve forgotten regular service for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning a shout at 308-624-3485. Our heating professionals will get your furnace tuned up and ensure it’s operating correctly.
Your ductwork can also produce banging sounds when your furnace switches on, as the metal is expanding and contracting.
We recommend first inspecting your furnace’s air filter and installing a new one if it’s filthy. Next, make sure you don’t have too many vents sealed in your residence, as it can make air pressure uneven.
If neither of these steps repair the sound, your ductwork may be dirty or undersized, which will be a need for assistance from a pro HVAC specialist.
Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise
If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a sign there’s an electrical problem. This is most frequently seen with a dying blower fan motor, which will create 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 issues need support from an experienced heating and cooling company like Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s usually a symptom that an internal part is going out. This might be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It might also be an indication that your burners need cleaning.
These troubles are typically uncovered during yearly maintenance provided by a certified HVAC technician. So, while we’re at your home working on repairs, don’t forget to ask us about requesting your maintenance appointment for the upcoming year.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound could be the result of issues: worn bearings, gas valve issues or ignition troubles. All these problems need specialized assistance.
At Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning, our specialists are here to help you relax in peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it typically is or producing odd sounds, contact us at 308-624-3485 to schedule an appointment now.