As your furnace switches on and gets ready to heat your home, it’s normal for it to make some noise. These sounds, including the burners igniting and the blower whirring, are all part of the usual start-up procedures.

But there are a few steps you can do to make your furnace quieter this winter.

1. Request Regular Furnace Maintenance

Furnace maintenance is extremely important, as it keeps your manufacturer warranty ongoing. This helps shield you if something huge stops working in your furnace during your warranty range.

It can also help us discover small issues that can make your furnace loud. And maybe help you prevent a breakdown on the coldest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can lower your likelihood of furnace repairs by up to 95%.

If small furnace troubles go ignored, they may lead to trouble later on. By finding these problems sooner, our techs can get your furnace taken care of before heating season is underway.

And most essential, professional cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving components can help make it more efficient. A correctly maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your gas costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

2. Regularly Install a New Furnace’s Air Filter

Your air filter helps keep your home’s air fresh and clean. When it turns too clogged, it can make your furnace turn on and off more than it should. Referred to as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to eat up additional energy and make it stop working faster.

Our recommendations for replacing your furnace filter:

  • Flat filter: Once a month
  • Pleated filter: Every three months

You might have to replace your filter more regularly if you have allergies or pets.

3. Contact Childress Heating & AC When Your Furnace Is Creating Weird Noises

Some furnaces, particularly older ones, can be louder than others. But if you’re noticing exceedingly loud or odd noises, you might need to 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 take care of them and when to call a specialist.

Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise

This noise happens more frequently with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s because they exhaust fumes differently than older furnaces, and the process can produce some moisture. If your furnace is having difficulties removing this water, it could make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll require pro support for this issue, since it might 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 several things.

Haven’t scheduled maintenance recently and your furnace is creating a banging sound when starting? Its burners could be dirty. Dirty burners can delay ignition, which causes gas to accumulate in your furnace.

All that increased gas can make a banging or booming noise when your furnace ultimately does ignite. But this is more than merely an irritating noise, because the built-up gas is igniting within your furnace. This can break your furnace’s heat exchanger and cause a life-threatening carbon monoxide leak.

If you’ve neglected regular service for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give Childress Heating & AC a call at 540-675-4306. Our heating specialists will get your furnace tuned up and ensure it’s running correctly.

Your ductwork can also create banging sounds when your furnace turns on, as the metal is expanding and contracting.

We recommend first inspecting your furnace’s air filter and replacing it if it’s dirty. Next, ensure you don’t have too many vents sealed in your home, as it can force air pressure out of balance.

If neither of these steps repair the issue, your ductwork may be dirty or undersized, which will require assistance from a pro HVAC tech.

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 produce a loud buzzing noise when your furnace turns on. It can also mean there’s a problem with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these troubles need assistance from a skilled heating and cooling company like Childress Heating & AC.

Furnace Making Knocking Noise

If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s often 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 to be cleaned.

These problems are usually uncovered during regular maintenance performed by a certified HVAC pro. So, while we’re at your home performing repairs, don’t forget to ask us about booking your maintenance appointment for the upcoming year.

Furnace Making Clicking Noise

A clicking sound could be the result of things: worn bearings, gas valve issues or ignition issues. All these problems need professional assistance.

At Childress Heating & AC, our experts are here to help you enjoy peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it usually is or producing weird sounds, contact us at 540-675-4306 to schedule an appointment right away.