Older furnaces tend to make a lot of noise. While minor humming and pops are normal noises that come from the furnace and your overall system, there are several strange furnace sounds you shouldn’t ignore. From thumping to vibrating to squealing, we’ll discuss the five sounds you should call Reimer about this heating season.
Need furnace repair this winter? Contact our team for help.
5 strange furnace sounds you should listen for this winter
Here are five common furnace noises that you should never ignore. Not addressing the strange noise could result in major damage to your system.
1. Thumping noises
A vibrating or thumping sound is most likely caused by an unbalanced blower wheel. The noise can also be caused if the motor itself is out of balance.
If you’re hearing loud thumps coming from your system while it’s running, it’s best to call Reimer for an inspection to make sure that an unbalanced wheel doesn’t do permanent damage to your system.
2. Squealing noises
A squealing noise can come from several different sources. Here are the three most-common sources of a squealing sound in your furnace:
- A shaft bearing that requires oiling
- A loose blower belt that needs to be replaced or adjusted
- A malfunctioning blower motor that should be replaced or repaired
All three of these tasks require the help of an HVAC professional. Left unchecked, these problems can result in long-term damage to your furnace and compromised heating this winter. Give our team a call.
3. Humming sounds
A humming noise indicates a faulty fan or capacitor. Give us a call if you hear a consistent, loud humming that’s more than the normal sound of the system operating.
4. Metal scrapping or a rumbling sound
The loud sound of metal scrapping against metal (think nails on a chalkboard) likely indicates a problem with the blower wheel. Of all the strange furnace sounds listed in this blog, we’ll bet that you’ll know this sound when you hear it. It’s pretty obnoxious.
In contrast, a low rumbling sound could indicate a faulty burner. As a precaution, you should turn off the furnace and call in a professional from Reimer.
5. Banging or popping noises
A loud banging noise could come from the furnace for two reasons. First, dirty furnace burners cause a delay in the ignition. As the released gas accumulates, the ignitor finally produces a flame, igniting the gas in a tiny explosion.
Not only can this be a loud pop, but it could result in damage to the system—including a cracked heat exchanger. The solution is to have a professional clean the furnace burners so that they ignite instantly and there’s no buildup of gas.
The other reason for banging or popping noises is that your air ducts, carrying hot air through cold metal, expand and contract with temperature change. This is relatively common noise, so to diagnose the exact source of the popping or banging sounds, listen to your furnace, and then see if the noise is also coming from other parts of the home.
Call the professionals at Reimer for help with any strange furnace sounds this winter
Whether you know the exact cause of your furnace troubles or you need an expert opinion on where to start, Reimer is your source for local HVAC expertise and services. Our friendly technicians are ready to answer your questions and inspect your furnace.
Also, don’t forget: by scheduling a furnace tune-up with our team in the fall, you can avoid the headache of having to listen for many of these strange furnace sounds.
To schedule service with us, contact our team, or give us a call at (716) 694-8524
