As your furnace starts up and gets ready to warm up your house, it’s expected for it to make some noise. These sounds, like the burners lighting and the blower whirring, are all part of the typical start-up procedures.
But there are a couple of approaches you can do to make your furnace quieter this winter.
1. Request Yearly Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is highly important, since it keeps your manufacturer warranty valid. This helps defend you if something huge stops working in your furnace during your warranty period.
It can also help our pros discover small issues that can make your furnace annoying. And possibly help you avoid a meltdown on the coldest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that routine maintenance can lower your chance of furnace malfunctions by up to 95%.
If small furnace issues go ignored, they may lead to trouble down the road. By uncovering these problems sooner, our pros can get your furnace fixed before heating season is at its peak.
And most critical, professional cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving parts can help make it more efficient. A correctly maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your heating bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Regularly Replace Your Furnace’s Air Filter
Your air filter helps keep your home’s air fresh and clean. When it becomes too clogged, it can make your furnace turn on and off too frequently. Referred to as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to consume additional energy and make it stop working faster.
Our recommendations for changing your furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Once a month
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You may have to get a new filter more frequently if you have allergies or pets.
3. Contact Childress Heating & AC When Your Furnace Is Creating Weird Noises
Some furnaces, especially older ones, may be noisier than others. But if you’re hearing extremely loud or odd noises, you should get in touch with a heating and cooling company like Childress Heating & AC for furnace repair in Fredericksburg.
Here are a few noises to be looking for, how to solve them and when to get in touch with a professional.
Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
This noise is more common with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s due to the fact they discharge fumes dissimilarly than older furnaces, and the process can make some moisture. If your furnace is running into difficulties discharging this water, it might make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll require skilled} 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 might mean a couple of things.
Haven’t scheduled maintenance recently and your furnace is producing a banging sound when turning on? Its burners can be dirty. Dirty burners can stall ignition, which results in gas accumulating inside your furnace.
All that built-up gas can cause a banging or booming noise when your furnace finally} does ignite. But this is more than merely an irritating noise, as the accumulated gas is igniting within your furnace. This can crack your furnace’s heat exchanger and make a life-threatening carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve forgotten regular maintenance for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give Childress Heating & AC a call at 540-675-4306. Our heating professionals will get your furnace tuned up and double-check it’s running correctly.
Your ductwork can also make banging sounds when your furnace switches on, since the metal is expanding and contracting.
We advise first checking your furnace’s air filter and getting a new one if it’s clogged. Next, ensure you don’t have too many vents closed in your residence, as it can throw off air pressure.
If neither of these things repair the issue, your ductwork may be dirty or undersized, which will require assistance from a pro HVAC technician.
Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise
If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a symptom there’s electrical troubles. This is most usually seen with a faltering blower fan motor, which will make an irritating buzzing noise when your furnace switches on. It may also mean there’s trouble with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these troubles need help from a professional heating and cooling company like Childress Heating & AC.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s typically a symptom that an internal piece is worn out. This can be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It can also be a sign that your burners need cleaning.
These troubles are often uncovered during regular maintenance performed by a certified HVAC pro. So, while we’re at your house performing repairs, don’t forget to inquire about requesting your maintenance appointment for the upcoming year.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound may be the result of troubles: worn bearings, gas valve troubles or ignition troubles. All these troubles need specialized support.
At Childress Heating & AC, our experts are here to help you unwind in peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than normal or producing weird sounds, contact us at 540-675-4306 to schedule an appointment now.