The subject of noises coming from your furnace can be a thorny one. While some noises are perfectly normal, others might be signs of trouble, and it isn’t always easy for people to tell the two types of noises apart. Schedule a repair if you hear your furnace in Upper St. Clair, PA, make a strange noise like one of these:
Normal Furnace Noise
It’s perfectly normal to hear a dull and unobtrusive hum as your furnace does its work, and it’s nothing unusual for your furnace to make a pop, click or hiss when it starts. It’s also fairly normal to hear a slight hissing sound just after the furnace turns off and its components cool down.
Banging, Rumbling and Rattling Are Abnormal
One thing to notice about all ordinary furnace noises is that they’re fairly quiet. If you start to hear noises coming from your furnace that are loud and disturbing, you have reason to start feeling concerned.
For example, a banging or rumbling noise points to problems with ignition in the furnace. Your furnace’s pilot light may not be igniting because of a valve issue, or there might be a great deal of accumulated debris interfering with the functioning of the burner. A banging noise is generally a sign that some important part of the furnace, like a fan blade, has come loose.
These are relatively serious issues, and it’ll take professional intervention to set them right. If you hear noises like these, we recommend scheduling heating system repairs as soon as possible.
Whistling or Shrieking
Whistling sounds commonly indicate that your furnace’s filters are old and that you need to replace them. When filters become excessively clogged with dirt, passing air may generate friction as it moves through them. This can be the source of the whistling.
Shrieking noises, on the other hand, are a reliable hint that something has gone awry with your furnace’s motor. Perhaps the motor’s belt has snapped or moved out of place. This, again, is an issue for a professional to tackle.
If you train your ear to spot the difference between normal and abnormal furnace noises, you can save yourself a great deal of trouble. Call Woodruff and Smith Heating and Cooling, Inc. and ask for our heating services in Upper St. Clair, PA, whenever you hear something abnormal.
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