This is one of a few noises you should never hear coming from your heating system. In fact, any noise that’s outside the norm of your system’s regular operation should alarm you. Of course, some noises are indicative of a less serious problem, but others can signal something that needs prompt furnace repair in Littleton, CO.
Avoiding repair can leave you with a broken down heater. Or worse, it can leave you with some sort of hazard in your home due to a malfunctioning heater—particularly if you have a gas-powered furnace. Keep reading for some of the noises we get called for, and what they might mean.
Screeching
A loud screeching noise is probably a sign that the blower motor of the furnace isn’t working as it should. A malfunctioning or worn down blower motor means that the heat produced by your furnace isn’t able to actually circulate warm air around your home successfully.
This may be a fairly easy repair—it could be that your blower motor simply needs lubrication. However, it may instead suggest that the fan has stopped altogether. In order to have this problem appropriately diagnosed, it’s important to contact a local HVAC professional. Once the problem has been diagnosed, we can advise you on the next steps to take.
Clanking
Are you hearing what sounds like metal on metal? This may be an indication of a concerning problem with the furnace’s blower wheel. If this is the case, then ceasing use of your furnace until a professional can take a look is imperative. In other words, if you hear this clanking sound, don’t ignore it or try to run your heater anyway—call for repairs right away.
Banging or Booming
Usually, any bang or boom you may hear coming from your furnace is due to a dirty burner. This may seem harmless, but it can actually cause quite the hazard. The noise you’re hearing is due to a delay in ignition because of that build-up of dirt. The gas builds up as a result, and when the burner ignites, a small explosion occurs inside your furnace.
First off, we don’t recommend cleaning the burner yourself, as there is room for error and you could damage your system further. Also, this banging or booming causes a side-effect—it rattles the furnace. This can in turn lead to a cracked heat exchanger, which will allow harmful carbon monoxide gas to infiltrate your home.
Rattling
Rattling doesn’t seem very threatening, right? Well, if you’re hearing a rattle coming from your furnace, we hope you wouldn’t just assume it’s minor and ignore it. That rattle could be because you have a broken heat exchanger. As we mentioned above, this can happen due to dirt build-up. But it’s never something you want to ignore or delay repairs on. Be sure to call us right away if you hear this noise!
In order to prevent these noises, or rather the problems that create these noises, we urge you to keep up on your heating maintenance appointments. For furnaces, this service should be done once a year.
