As your furnace starts up and gets ready to warm up your house, it’s typical for it to make some noise. These sounds, like the burners igniting and the blower operating, are all part of the normal start-up procedures.
But there are several things you can do to make your furnace quieter this winter.
1. Book Yearly Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is highly important, since it keeps your manufacturer warranty ongoing. This helps defend you if something major malfunctions in your furnace during your warranty range.
It can also help our professionals discover small issues that might make your furnace noisy. And potentially help you prevent a breakdown on the most frigid day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that annual maintenance can reduce your chance of furnace breakdowns by up to 95%.
If little furnace troubles are left ignored, they could result in an issue later on. By discovering these issues in advance, our technicians can get your furnace taken care of before heating season is at its peak.
And, most critical, pro cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving pieces can help make it more efficient. A properly maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your energy costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Regularly Replace Your Furnace’s Air Filter
Your air filter helps keep your home’s air fresh and clean. When it becomes too dirty, it can make your furnace turn on and off too frequently. Called short cycling, this can cause your furnace to eat up additional fuel and make it break down more rapidly.
Our recommendations for replacing your furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Once a month
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You may have to replace your filter more regularly if you have allergies or pets.
3. Contact J.L. Brady Company LLC When Your Furnace is Making Odd Noises
Some furnaces, often older ones, may be noisier than others. But if you’re detecting very loud or strange noises, you should call a heating and cooling company like J.L. Brady Company LLC for furnace repair in Moline.
Here are a couple of noises to be looking for, how to take care of them and when to contact a professional.
Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise
This noise occurs more commonly with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s since they exhaust fumes differently than older furnaces, and the process can create some moisture. If your furnace is having troubles draining this water, it might make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll require professional assistance for this issue, since it can be the result of by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.
Furnace Making Banging Noise
It’s not a good indicator when your furnace is making a banging sound. It could mean several things.
Haven’t scheduled maintenance recently and your furnace is producing a banging sound when beginning? Its burners can be dirty. Dirty burners can delay ignition, which causes gas to accumulate within your furnace.
All that built-up gas can create a banging or booming noise when your furnace finally does ignite. But this is more than only a bothersome noise, because the built-up gas is exploding in your furnace. This can crack your furnace’s heat exchanger and make a life-threatening carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve neglected regular maintenance for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give J.L. Brady Company LLC a ring at 309-517-7511. Our heating pros will get your furnace tuned up and double-check it’s running properly.
Your ductwork can also produce banging sounds when your furnace turns on, since the metal is expanding and contracting.
We recommend first looking at your furnace’s air filter and replacing it if it’s dirty. Next, make sure you don’t have too many vents closed in your house, as it can throw off air pressure.
If neither of these methods fix the issue, your ductwork may be dirty or undersized, which will be a need for assistance from a professional HVAC specialist.
Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise
If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a flag there’s an electrical problem. This is most usually seen with a faltering blower fan motor, which will make an annoying buzzing noise when your furnace begins to heat. It might also mean there’s an issue with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these troubles need assistance from a skilled heating and cooling company like J.L. Brady Company LLC.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s frequently an indication that an internal piece is worn out. This could be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It may also be a symptom that your burners are dirty.
These problems are typically uncovered during yearly maintenance done by a certified HVAC technician. So, while we’re at your residence doing repairs, don’t forget to check with us about requesting your maintenance appointment for the future.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound may be the result of things: worn bearings, gas valve issues or ignition troubles. All these issues require skilled support.
At J.L. Brady Company LLC, our experts are here to help you enjoy peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it usually is or producing strange sounds, contact us at 309-517-7511 to schedule an appointment today.