Are you hearing unusual or loud noises coming from your furnace? These sounds may be a sign of serious problems, causing damage to the HVAC system. It’s necessary to identify the source of the furnace sound to resolve the issue. Don’t wait too long to call a professional. Get in touch with Pacific Aire.  We can identify any sounds and fix your HVAC system  so you can have peace and quiet at home. Here are some strange furnace sounds you should be aware of and how to resolve them.

What does it mean if you hear a scraping sound on your furnace?

A sound that you should be concerned with is if you hear metal grinding in your furnace. Once you hear this noise, turn off your furnace immediately and call for an HVAC appointment as this is a serious problem. It might be an issue with the furnace’s blower wheel or a broken blower motor mount. It’s possible that the blower fan became loose and is hitting against the casing. The HVAC technician will inspect what is wrong with the unit. Don’t run your furnace until this unusual sound is fixed. Chances are you’ll only need an HVAC repair if the wheel is slightly damaged. You’ll need a replacement if the blower fan is broken.

Do you hear a wheezing or whooshing sound around your home?

If you hear this unsettling sound, it might be coming from your dirty air filter. It sounds like a wheezing noise. The air filter is clogged with dust, dander or other particles. The wheezing sound is attributed to the air pushing through a clogged air filter. It’s advisable to change your air filter regularly. Replace it every 3 months as trapped particles decrease your furnace’s efficiency. 

When you turn your furnace on, do you hear a booming, banging or popping noise?

This potentially means that your furnace burner is dirty. This happens when the furnace burner is full of trapped dust, dirt or other particles and causes gas build up. The popping sound happens when the flame eventually ignites, which is dangerous. Annual HVAC maintenance helps solve this issue. Another cause of the loud bang and boom sound is an unbalanced air-to-fuel ratio. Your furnace needs the right combination of gas and air to function properly and efficiently. The loud booming sound is a result of a gas build up if there’s too much air and not enough gas.

On a lighter note, there is a chance that the sound is simply caused by the duct work expanding and contracting as the temperature changes. If this is the reason, it’s completely normal. The best action is to contact a reliable HVAC company to diagnose the problem.

How about pinging noise?

As discussed, metal ducts expand and contract depending on the temperature. This is a sign that your duct work is working, so don’t worry.

Why do you hear the furnace whining or squealing?

A squealing sound might be an indicator that there’s something wrong with the blower belt. The belt might be damaged, loose or not lubricated enough. To make sure that your furnace is performing at its best in the winter, the HVAC technician lubricates moving furnace parts during regular maintenance checks.  Your blower belt may eventually need adjustments or replacement. You may be a fan of DIYs, but don’t attempt to do this on your own, even if it’s possible. Always call a professional to identify what’s wrong with the fan belt. They can provide necessary adjustments, furnace repair, or replacement.

What’s causing the crackling sound?

The crackling noise coming from your furnace is strange to hear but you don’t have to worry. This is normal. When your ductwork and furnace cools down and turns off, it will make crackling sounds.

Hard-to-identify Sounds

Some sounds may be serious. Turn off your entire HVAC system if you’re unsure. Get in touch with an expert HVAC contractor and have your unit inspected to find out the real cause of the strange sounds. 

 

For any of the scary noises you hear coming from your furnace, we at Pacific Aire can diagnose and fix these unwanted sounds. Don’t ignore the noises!  Schedule an appointment with our expert HVAC technicians. For all your HVAC servicing needs, visit https://bit.ly/PacAire_heating_tune_up or call us at 805-465-5689 to schedule your heating maintenance today.

Our expert team of technicians at Pacific Aire are professionally and highly trained, dependable and friendly.

We’re happy to take your call and be of service.