As your furnace turns on and gets ready to warm up your residence, it’s normal for it to make some noise. These sounds, such as the burners lighting and the blower whirring, are all part of the normal start-up steps.
But there are a few approaches you can do to make your furnace run more quietly this winter.
1. Book Annual Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is extremely important, because it keeps your manufacturer warranty ongoing. This helps protect you if something huge malfunctions in your furnace during your warranty time.
It can also help our professionals find small issues that might make your furnace loud. And potentially help you sidestep a meltdown on the most frigid day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can lower your probability of furnace breakdowns by up to 95%.
If little furnace issues keep on being unnoticed, they might lead to trouble in the future. By finding these problems early, our techs can get your furnace repaired before heating season is underway.
And, most essential, specialized 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 costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Routinely Change Your Furnace’s Air Filter
Your air filter helps keep your house’s air fresh and clean. When it becomes too dirty, it can make your furnace turn on and off more than it should. Referred to as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to use additional energy and make it stop working more rapidly.
Our recommendations for installing a new furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Every month
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You might have to replace your filter more often if you have allergies or pets.
3. Contact Heartland Heating & Cooling When Your Furnace is Making Odd Noises
Some furnaces, particularly older ones, might be noisier than others. But if you’re noticing very loud or odd noises, you should contact a heating and cooling company like Heartland Heating & Cooling for furnace repair in Des Moines.
Here are a few noises to be looking for, how to take care of them and when to contact a specialist.
Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
This noise happens more frequently with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s because they exhaust fumes dissimilarly older furnaces, and the process can create some moisture. If your furnace is experiencing issues discharging this water, it can make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll want experienced assistance for this problem, since it can be created by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.
Furnace Making Banging Noise
It’s not a positive sign when your furnace is making a banging sound. It can mean several things.
Haven’t scheduled maintenance lately and your furnace is producing a banging sound when beginning? Its burners might be dirty. Dirty burners can hold up ignition, which leads gas to accumulate within your furnace.
All that built-up gas can create a banging or booming noise when your furnace finally does ignite. But this is more than only an annoying noise, as the increased gas is igniting in your furnace. This can crack your furnace’s heat exchanger and make a dangerous carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve forgotten yearly tune-ups for your furnace and you’re detecting this noise, give Heartland Heating & Cooling a call at 515-344-3579. Our heating pros will get your furnace tuned up and double-check it’s running properly.
Your ductwork can also produce banging sounds when your furnace turns on, since the metal is expanding and contracting.
We recommend first looking at your furnace’s air filter and replacing it if it’s filthy. Next, make sure you don’t have too many vents closed in your residence, as it can force air pressure out of balance.
If neither of these methods fix the problem, your ductwork might be dirty or undersized, which will call for 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 an electrical problem. This is most usually seen with a dying blower fan motor, which will produce an annoying buzzing noise when your furnace starts. It can also mean there’s an issue with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these problems call for help from an experienced heating and cooling company like Heartland Heating & Cooling.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s typically a symptom that an internal part is breaking down. This may be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It might also be a sign that your burners need to be cleaned.
These problems are frequently caught during regular maintenance done by a certified HVAC technician. So, while we’re at your home doing repairs, don’t forget to inquire about requesting your maintenance appointment for next year.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound could mean a couple of issues: worn bearings, gas valve problems or ignition issues. All these problems call for skilled help.
At Heartland Heating & Cooling, our professionals are here to help you enjoy quiet, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than normal or creating weird sounds, contact us at 515-344-3579 to get an appointment now.