As your furnace turns on and begins to warm up your house, it’s expected for it to create some noise. These sounds, including the burners igniting 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 less noisy this winter.
1. Schedule Regular Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is very important, as it keeps your manufacturer warranty valid. This helps shield you if something major stops working in your furnace during your warranty range.
It can also help us uncover minor issues that could make your furnace annoying. And maybe help you prevent a malfunction on the chilliest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can reduce your chance of furnace breakdowns by up to 95%.
If minor furnace issues go ignored, they may cause trouble later on. By finding these issues sooner, our technicians can get your furnace repaired before heating season is at its peak.
And most critical, pro cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving parts can help make it more efficient. A properly maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your heating costs, 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 too frequently. Known as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to eat up additional gas and make it wear out faster.
Our suggestions for installing a new furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Monthly
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You could have to get a new filter more regularly if you have allergies or pets.
3. Call B & B Heating & Cooling When Your Furnace Is Making Strange Noises
Some furnaces, especially older ones, may be noisier than others. But if you’re hearing exceedingly loud or weird noises, you should contact a heating and cooling company like B & B Heating & Cooling for furnace repair in Florissant and St. Charles.
Here are several noises to be looking for, how to repair them and when to call a professional.
Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
This noise occurs more commonly with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s because they discharge fumes in another way than older furnaces, and the process can produce some moisture. If your furnace is experiencing difficulties draining this water, it might make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll want experienced support for this issue, since it can 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 several things.
Haven’t scheduled maintenance recently and your furnace is making a banging sound when turning on? Its burners may be dirty. Dirty burners can stall ignition, which results in gas accumulating in your furnace.
All that increased gas can make a banging or booming sound when your furnace ultimately does ignite. But this is more than only an irritating noise, as the accumulated gas is exploding within your furnace. This can crack your furnace’s heat exchanger and create a dangerous carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve overlooked regular tune-ups for your furnace and you’re detecting this noise, give B & B Heating & Cooling a call at 314-325-7552. Our heating pros will get your furnace tuned up and make sure it’s working correctly.
Your ductwork can also make banging sounds when your furnace switches on, since 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, ensure you don’t have too many vents sealed in your residence, as it can throw off air pressure.
If neither of these methods repair the sound, your ductwork might be dirty or undersized, which will call for assistance from a professional 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 produce an irritating buzzing noise when your furnace turns on. It can also mean there’s an issue with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these issues need support from a skilled heating and cooling company like B & B Heating & Cooling.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s frequently a symptom that an internal component is going out. This can be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It could also be an indication that your burners are dirty.
These problems are often uncovered during regular maintenance provided by a certified HVAC tech. So, while we’re at your residence working on 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 troubles: worn bearings, gas valve issues or ignition issues. All these troubles need pro help.
At B & B Heating & Cooling, our professionals are here to help you enjoy peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it typically is or producing strange sounds, contact us at 314-325-7552 to request an appointment now.