As your furnace turns on and prepares to heat your house, it’s common for it to produce some noise. These sounds, such as the burners firing up and the blower running, are all part of the normal start-up procedures.
But there are a few approaches you can do to make your furnace less noisy this winter.
1. Schedule Regular Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is very important, because it keeps your manufacturer warranty valid. This helps protect you if something major stops working in your furnace during your warranty range.
It can also help our professionals discover small issues that can make your furnace loud. And maybe help you avoid a malfunction on the most frigid day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that annual maintenance can reduce your probability of furnace meltdowns by up to 95%.
If little furnace troubles go unnoticed, they may result in trouble in the future. By finding these issues sooner, our pros can get your furnace taken care of before heating season begins.
And most important, specialized 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 energy costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Frequently Replace Your Furnace’s Air Filter
Your air filter helps keep your house’s air fresh and clean. When it turns too dirty, it can make your furnace turn on and off too often. Referred to as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to consume additional fuel and make it stop working faster.
Our recommendations for installing a new furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Every month
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You may have to get a new filter more often if you have allergies or pets.
3. Get in Touch with Bell Mechanical Services When Your Furnace Is Making Odd Noises
Some furnaces, especially older ones, may be louder than others. But if you’re noticing extremely loud or weird noises, it may be time to call a heating and cooling company like Bell Mechanical Services for furnace repair in McKinney and Frisco.
Here are a few noises to keep an eye out for, how to fix them and when to get in touch with a pro.
Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
This noise occurs more commonly with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s due to the fact they exhaust fumes differently than older furnaces, and the process can create some moisture. If your furnace is experiencing difficulties removing this water, it might make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll need experienced support for this issue, since it may 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 can mean a couple of things.
Haven’t scheduled maintenance recently and your furnace is making a banging sound when starting? Its burners might be dirty. Dirty burners can hold up ignition, which leads gas to accumulate within your furnace.
All that increased gas can create a banging or booming sound when your furnace finally does ignite. But this is more than only an irritating noise, as the increased gas is igniting within your furnace. This can damage your furnace’s heat exchanger and cause a deadly carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve forgotten regular service for your furnace and you’re detecting this noise, give Bell Mechanical Services a ring at 888-863-0560. Our heating pros will get your furnace tuned up and make sure it’s operating correctly.
Your ductwork can also create banging sounds when your furnace turns on, since 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, ensure you don’t have too many vents shut in your home, as it can throw off air pressure.
If neither of these things repair the problem, your ductwork may be dirty or undersized, which will be a need for assistance from a pro HVAC tech.
Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise
If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a symptom there’s electrical troubles. This is most often seen with a faltering blower fan motor, which will create a loud buzzing noise when your furnace switches on. It could also mean there’s an issue with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these troubles need help from a professional heating and cooling company like Bell Mechanical Services.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s often a symptom that an internal part is worn out. This could be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It could also be an indication that your burners need to be cleaned.
These issues are usually uncovered during annual maintenance done by a certified HVAC technician. So, while we’re at your residence performing repairs, don’t forget to ask us about scheduling your maintenance appointment for the upcoming year.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound can be the result of things: worn bearings, gas valve troubles or ignition troubles. All these problems need specialized help.
At Bell Mechanical Services, our experts are here to help you relax in peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it typically is or producing weird sounds, contact us at 888-863-0560 to request an appointment now.