Is Your Home’s Furnace Making Strange Noises?

The crisp air of autumn will soon give way to cold or even frigid air this winter. Gas furnaces offer an efficient and effective way to ensure comfort even if a polar vortex delivers sub-zero temperatures for several days. If your Goshen, IN home’s furnace begins to make strange sounds, this is a cause for concern. Prompt furnace repair services performed by a professional service technician will prevent disruption of your comfort during the wintertime.

Know Which Sounds Are Normal

Modern furnaces are designed and manufactured to operate extremely quietly. During a normal heating cycle, your furnace will click when it turns on. You’ll hear the hum of the motor and fan as the forced-air system blows heated air into your home’s ductwork. When your home’s air reaches the temperature set on your thermostat, you will hear the furnace click again, then it will turn off.

Familiarize Yourself with Abnormal Furnace Sounds

There are four primary types of abnormal furnace sounds. They include scraping, screeching, thwapping, and banging. Scraping sounds suggest excessive friction or wear and tear on the blower wheel. Screeching often results from off-balance bearings in the furnace’s motor. If something gets stuck in the furnace’s fan or near its motor, it will make a thwapping sound each time there’s an impact. Banging sounds could just be the expansion of your home’s metal ductwork. However, a problem with the combustion process could also cause banging or popping sounds, explains Energy Saver.

Loud Noises During Operation

If your furnace seems louder than usual during a heating cycle, this is also a cause for concern. Louder humming sounds are often associated with an electrical issue. Even gas furnaces use electricity to power their motors and fans. Worn contactors, faulty thermocouples, or damaged wiring may cause loud humming sounds that necessitate urgent furnace repair services.

To learn more about strange furnace noises, take a look at Rex’s Heating and Cooling’s furnace repair services, or contact our professional service technicians today.