Warning Sounds Your Gas Furnace May Need Repairs
Do you use a gas furnace in Denver, CO for your home heating? You’re one of many: natural gas furnaces are the most common way to provide central heating to homes in the area thanks to their powerful output, reliability, and cost-effective operation.
We want you to keep enjoying a furnace that works in top condition. The best way to help your furnace is to schedule pre-season maintenance for it (not too late if you haven’t done so yet!). The next best way is to pay attention to warning signs the furnace needs our repair services. A gas furnace will usually give off early indications it’s in trouble, which grants you time to have it repaired before it ends up failing entirely—probably on the coldest day of the year.
Odds Sounds Are One of the Biggest Warning Signs
In this post we’re examining a specific warning from a furnace: the out-of-the-ordinary noise. This could be anything from clicking to a loud booming sound. The volume of the sound doesn’t necessarily mean a bigger problem; even a small but strange noise can warn of a serious repair need.
- Booming: This is a startling sound, and it probably comes from a large amount of combustion gas igniting at once. This often means the ignition system for the furnace is delayed or the burners are blocked by grime or carbon particles. When all the unburned gas ignites at the same time, it creates this booming noise. Technicians can clean the burners or fix the ignition.
- Clicking: If you hear the furnace clicking often, it can point to a range of issues. It might be a fault in the electrical control panel, a failing electronic ignition system, defective gas valves, a loose inducer, or a cracked heat exchanger. Call HVAC technicians to diagnose the problem so it can be fixed—some of these issues can turn hazardous if ignored!
- Rattling: This could be simple trouble with an improperly latched door on the cabinet. If that’s not what’s wrong, you could be looking at a loose part, like a screw, in the blower assembly or imbalanced blower wheels. Letting these problems continue will result in the furnace becoming more damaged and the problem more expensive to correct.
- Screeching/Shrieking: This high-pitched mechanical sound is telling you that the bearings in the blower motor are wearing down, and this will eventually cause the motor to burn out and need to be replaced. Technicians can replace the bearings to save the motor.
- Grinding: A motor is burning out. You may also detect an acrid smell coming from the vents. Shut down the furnace immediately at the furnace switch (usually located next to the furnace) and call to have it repaired. The motor will usually need to be replaced.
- Whistling: If you hear this, the furnace is probably experiencing venting problems. Check first on the filter and replace it if it’s clogged. If the problem continues, have technicians examine the ductwork, the air handler, and the exhaust flue to find the source of the noise.
Apple Aire is family-owned and has served the Denver Metro since 1988. Call us 24/7 emergency heating service.