Your Monroe home’s furnace is easy to forget about when it is keeping your home comfortable. Its function is reasonably quiet and requires little attention on your part. However, when you begin to notice some odd sounds from the unit, it is time to pay a little attention to avoid paying a hefty repair bill in the future. The strange noises you hear offer much insight into what is wrong with your furnace. And will help you describe the issue to your HVAC specialist.
A Loud Scraping Sound
Nothing is worse than the sound of nails on a chalkboard, you would think. However, when you hear a loud metal-on-metal scraping sound coming from your furnace, you might disagree. This metal grinding and scraping is almost always related to the blower wheel. And the first thing you need to do is turn off your furnace. Then call in an HVAC professional.
The wheel could be loose and will damage other components or shatter if it is not repaired immediately. It could also be damaged or broken already and wreak havoc on your furnace’s other internal parts with each rotation. Or finally, the motor mount could be damaged or broken. When this occurs, it allows the entire blower assembly to shake and create more significant damage. The one rule to always remember is that calling in a professional at the first sign of trouble is the best way for homeowners to limit the damage to their home’s furnace. And keep the repair bills as reasonable as possible.
Loud Banging
Your furnace should not be announcing your warm air with a loud bang when it turns on. A loud bang as the unit fires up is often a sign of a dirty furnace burner or ignitor. The issue with these two items getting dirty is that it inhibits the gas from igniting. And the result is a potentially hazardous gas build-up. When the gas ignites, you hear the loud bang from the large amount of gas gathered. If too much gas collected before ignition, the mini-explosion could result in a cracked heat exchanger or other significant damage to the furnace.
The other common cause of loud banging is the expansion and contraction of metal ductwork. The ducts will quickly expand as the hot air enters from the heating system and let out a metallic groan. While this is annoying, it does not represent a severe safety risk. But it can indicate that the ducts are too small for the capacity of an upgraded furnace or that there is a blockage or clog in the ductwork or air filter.
Ear Shattering Whining
When you hear a high-pitched whining or squealing, the issue is most often involving the shaft bearings, blower belt, or blower motor. The shaft bearings need to be oiled regularly during the maintenance process. If you skipped this season’s furnace service, a little oil on the bearings could be all that is needed. A loose blower belt can also make a whining sound as it slips on the pulley system. And finally, a bad blower motor can also be the culprit. All of these issues arise slowly and are normally detected and corrected during a seasonal furnace tune-up. Trying to avoid that visit and service fee is typically not going to save you any money as you will be calling for help when one of these common maladies occurs.
Call (318) 202-9144 to schedule your annual furnace tune-up with the pros at Gordon AC & Plumbing. We are also available 24/7 for emergency visits when you discover any of these odd noises coming from your home’s furnace.
