It’s a chilly northern Indiana winter night, and, suddenly you hear strange noises coming from somewhere in your home. It’s not the start of a ghost story, but a sign that something might be wrong with your home heating system. Though gas furnaces often make strange sounds as they get older, they don't necessarily mean you should replace your furnace. Here are some tips to help introubleshooting what to do about the most common furnace noises:
- Clanging: A clanging sound usually signals a problem in the pipes, though it might just be the pipes cooling down if it only happens right after the furnace turns off.
- Humming: This may happen when furnace burners light, especially as temperatures drop, but, in that case, you should be able to fix it by turning down the pilot control to lower the flames.
- Crackling & Rattling: As the furnace shuts down, metal parts often will crackle or rattle, though a noisy rattling can indicate a serious problem. Just in case, be sure to contact your service technician.
- Metallic Chirping: This is likely the sound of the motor or fan blower wheel as the heat kicks on. If you have some troubleshooting experience, you might try fixing it yourself by wiggling the blower wheel into alignment, but in most cases, you'll want to consult an HVAC professional for help.
- Booming: A loud thud or boom could be the sound of ducts expanding and contracting, especially in unheated basements, but it could also be the sound of dirty burners in your furnace. Removing and cleaning the burners is a job best left to a trained and experienced technician, who can also check for potential problems related to the gas valve, which controls ignition.
For more expert advice on understanding furnace noises and other signals from your HVAC system, and for recognizing when it may be time to replace your aging furnace, contact us at Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. We look forward to helping you stay comfortable in your Fort Wayne area home.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnace noises and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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