As your furnace switches on and prepares to heat your residence, it’s common for it to create some noise. These sounds, including the burners firing up and the blower operating, are all part of the usual start-up process.
But there are several steps you can do to make your furnace less noisy this winter.
1. Request Regular Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is highly important, because it keeps your manufacturer warranty in place. This helps defend you if something huge stops working in your furnace during your warranty time.
It can also help our professionals find small issues that might make your furnace noisy. And potentially help you prevent a malfunction on the chilliest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can lower your chance of furnace meltdowns by up to 95%.
If minor furnace troubles go undetected, they may cause trouble in the future. By unearthing these issues sooner, our pros can get your furnace taken care of before heating season is underway.
And most essential, pro 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 Replace Your Furnace’s Air Filter
Your air filter helps keep your house’s air fresh and clean. When it gets too filthy, it can make your furnace turn on and off too frequently. Known as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to use additional energy and make it stop working faster.
Our recommendations for installing a new furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Monthly
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You may have to install a new filter more often if you have allergies or pets.
3. Contact Parker County Cooling & Heating When Your Furnace Is Creating Odd Noises
Some furnaces, particularly older ones, could be louder than others. But if you’re hearing very loud or odd noises, you should call a heating and cooling company like Parker County Cooling & Heating for furnace repair in Weatherford.
Here are a few noises to be looking for, how to take care of them and when to get in touch with a professional.
Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
This noise occurs more commonly with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s due to the fact they exhaust fumes differently than older furnaces, and the process can produce some moisture. If your furnace is having difficulties draining this water, it can make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll want 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 positive thing when your furnace is making a banging sound. It could mean a few things.
Haven’t scheduled maintenance recently and your furnace is creating a banging sound when starting? Its burners can be dirty. Dirty burners can delay ignition, which leads gas to accumulate in your furnace.
All that accumulated gas can create a banging or booming racket when your furnace ultimately does ignite. But this is more than only an irritating noise, because the built-up gas is exploding 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 hearing this noise, give Parker County Cooling & Heating a call at 817-380-5213. Our heating professionals will get your furnace tuned up and ensure it’s operating correctly.
Your ductwork can also produce banging sounds when your furnace switches on, since the metal is expanding and contracting.
We recommend first looking at your furnace’s air filter and getting a new one if it’s dirty. Next, double-check you don’t have too many vents shut in your house, as it can force air pressure out of balance.
If neither of these steps repair the problem, your ductwork could be dirty or undersized, which will be a need for assistance from a pro HVAC specialist.
Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise
If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a flag there’s an electrical issue. This is most usually seen with a faltering blower fan motor, which will make an annoying 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 support from a skilled heating and cooling company like Parker County Cooling & Heating.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s often a symptom that an internal component is worn out. This can be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It might also be an indication that your burners need cleaning.
These troubles are frequently uncovered during yearly maintenance done by a certified HVAC technician. So, while we’re at your home doing repairs, don’t forget to check with us about requesting your maintenance appointment for next year.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound can be the result of issues: worn bearings, gas valve troubles or ignition troubles. All these troubles need professional assistance.
At Parker County Cooling & Heating, our pros are here to help you enjoy peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it usually is or producing odd sounds, contact us at 817-380-5213 to get an appointment today.