As your furnace starts up and prepares to warm up your residence, it’s normal for it to make some noise. These sounds, including the burners lighting and the blower whirring, are all part of the normal start-up process.
But there are several approaches you can do to make your furnace quieter this winter.
1. Request Annual Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is highly important, as it keeps your manufacturer warranty in place. This helps defend you if something big malfunctions in your furnace during your warranty period.
It can also help our pros discover little problems that could make your furnace loud. And potentially help you avoid a malfunction on the chilliest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that routine maintenance can reduce your chance of furnace malfunctions by up to 95%.
If little furnace troubles go ignored, they might lead to a breakdown later on. By discovering these issues in advance, our professionals can get your furnace fixed before heating season is in full swing.
And, most important, pro cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving pieces can help make it more efficient. A correctly maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your utility costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Routinely Replace Your 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 too often. Called short cycling, this can cause your furnace to eat up additional fuel and make it stop working faster.
Our recommendations for replacing your furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Once a month
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You may have to install a new filter more regularly if you have allergies or pets.
3. Get in Touch with Brookwood Inc When Your Furnace is Making Strange Noises
Some furnaces, often older ones, may be louder than others. But if you’re hearing extremely loud or odd noises, you might need to contact a heating and cooling company like Brookwood Inc for furnace repair in Newton.
Here are a couple of noises to be on the lookout for, how to take care of them and when to call a pro.
Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
This noise is more common with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s since they emit fumes differently than older furnaces, and the process can produce some moisture. If your furnace is having troubles draining this water, it could make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll need experienced support for this trouble, since it may be created by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.
Furnace Making Banging Noise
It’s not a good sign when your furnace is making a banging sound. It may mean a few things.
Haven’t had maintenance done recently and your furnace is creating a banging sound when beginning? Its burners might be dirty. Dirty burners can hold up ignition, which causes gas to accumulate inside your furnace.
All that built-up gas can create 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 igniting within your furnace. This can break your furnace’s heat exchanger and create a deadly carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve neglected annual maintenance for your furnace and you’re detecting this noise, give Brookwood Inc a shout at 641-316-9803. Our heating specialists will get your furnace tuned up and ensure it’s running properly.
Your ductwork can also produce banging sounds when your furnace turns on, as the metal is expanding and contracting.
We recommend first looking at your furnace’s air filter and installing a new one if it’s dirty. Next, make sure you don’t have too many vents sealed in your house, as it can throw off air pressure.
If neither of these steps take care of the sound, your ductwork may be dirty or undersized, which will call for assistance from a pro HVAC specialist.
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 often seen with a sputtering blower fan motor, which will produce an annoying buzzing noise when your furnace switches on. It can also mean there’s an issue with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these issues call for help from a professional heating and cooling company like Brookwood Inc.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s usually a sign that an internal piece is breaking down. This may be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It could also be an indication that your burners need cleaning.
These troubles are typically uncovered during regular maintenance done by a certified HVAC pro. So, while we’re at your residence doing repairs, don’t forget to ask us about requesting your maintenance appointment for the future.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound might be created by things: worn bearings, gas valve problems or ignition troubles. All these troubles need skilled help.
At Brookwood Inc, our experts are here to help you unwind in tranquil, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than normal or producing strange sounds, contact us at 641-316-9803 to request an appointment now.