As your furnace starts up and gets ready to heat your residence, it’s normal for it to produce some noise. These sounds, like the burners igniting and the blower whirring, are all part of the normal start-up steps.
But there are a few approaches you can do to make your furnace quieter this winter.
1. Request 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 time.
It can also help us spot little issues that could make your furnace noisy. And possibly help you sidestep a malfunction on the most frigid day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can lower your likelihood of furnace malfunctions by up to 95%.
If minor furnace issues go ignored, they may lead to trouble in the future. By unearthing these problems sooner, our technicians can get your furnace fixed before heating season is underway.
And most essential, specialized cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving parts can help make it more efficient. A well-maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your utility bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Frequently Change Your Furnace’s Air Filter
Your air filter helps keep your residence’s air fresh and clean. When it becomes too clogged, it can make your furnace turn on and off more than it should. Known as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to eat up additional gas and make it break down faster.
Our recommendations for replacing your furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Every month
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You could have to change your filter more often if you have allergies or pets.
3. Call E.B. Air When Your Furnace Is Producing Odd Noises
Some furnaces, often older ones, may be noisier than others. But if you’re detecting extremely loud or strange noises, you might need to contact a heating and cooling company like E.B. Air for furnace repair in East Bernard.
Here are several noises to be on the lookout for, how to fix them and when to call a specialist.
Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
This noise happens more frequently with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s since they exhaust fumes dissimilarly than older furnaces, and the process can produce some moisture. If your furnace is having difficulties draining this water, it could make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll want professional support for this issue, since it could be created by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.
Furnace Making Banging Noise
It’s not a great thing when your furnace is making a banging sound. It may mean a few things.
Haven’t had maintenance done recently and your furnace is making a banging sound when starting? Its burners might be dirty. Dirty burners can stall ignition, which leads gas to accumulate inside your furnace.
All that built-up gas can cause a banging or booming racket when your furnace ultimately does ignite. But this is more than merely an irritating noise, since the accumulated gas is erupting within your furnace. This can crack your furnace’s heat exchanger and create a dangerous carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve forgotten regular tune-ups for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give E.B. Air a shout at 979-335-4262. Our heating specialists will get your furnace tuned up and ensure it’s running correctly.
Your ductwork can also produce banging sounds when your furnace switches on, as the metal is expanding and contracting.
We suggest first looking at your furnace’s air filter and getting a new one if it’s dirty. Next, double-check you don’t have too many vents shut in your home, as it can throw off air pressure.
If neither of these methods repair the problem, your ductwork could be dirty or undersized, which will be a need for assistance from a professional HVAC technician.
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 usually seen with a dying blower fan motor, which will create an annoying buzzing noise when your furnace turns on. It could also mean there’s a problem with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these problems need help from an experienced heating and cooling company like E.B. Air.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s frequently a symptom that an internal component is going out. This might be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It might also be a sign that your burners need to be cleaned.
These problems are often uncovered during annual maintenance performed by a certified HVAC technician. So, while we’re at your home performing repairs, don’t forget to ask us about requesting your maintenance appointment for the future.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound could be the result of issues: worn bearings, gas valve problems or ignition troubles. All these issues need specialized support.
At E.B. Air, our pros are here to help you enjoy peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than normal or producing odd sounds, contact us at 979-335-4262 to schedule an appointment today.