Furnace Sounds You Cannot Ignore

Loud Bang or Boom

If you hear a gunshot sound go off when you turn on your furnace, you may have a gas build-up in the system. Never ignore this loud sound coming from the furnace. It could crack the heat exchanger, which is both dangerous and expensive. Turn the system off immediately and call a Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical professional.

Dirty burners may have delayed the ignition, which causes the gas to build up and “explode” when the ignition finally comes on. Annual furnace maintenance will take care of this problem since your technician will inspect and clean the burners as part of the tune-up.

Expanding and contracting ducts could have caused the loud bang or boom, but this sound is normally easily distinguished from a gas build-up “explosion.” It’s a common problem that homeowners with central HVAC systems have to deal with. Luckily, there are ways to prevent loud duct noises. Contact a professional Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical HVAC technician to take a look. Solutions may include sealing and insulating ducts, replacing undersized ducts, adjusting dampers, or replacing the air filter.

Metal Against Metal

If you hear loud clanking and scraping, you could have a serious problem with your furnace’s blower wheel. Turn off your furnace immediately and wait until a professional Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical HVAC technician has had a chance to inspect the system

• The blower fan may have come loose and is now hitting the blower house casing. If the blower wheel/fan isn’t too damaged, the repair should be quick and easy.
• The blower fan may be broken and need professional replacement.
• If the piece holding the motor and blower assembly together has broken, the whole assembly may have dropped and is now hitting the housing. A professional diagnosis is needed.

Rattling

A rattling sound coming from the furnace can indicate a loose panel or a loose screw. Before attempting to work on your furnace, make sure you turn off power at the source. Then, you can try tightening your panel with a screwdriver to see if that fixes the rattling sound.

If it’s not a loose screw, it could indicate a leak or crack in your heat exchanger, which can be very serious. A faulty heat exchanger can leak dangerous (and potentially lethal) carbon monoxide into the home. Contact your local Green Apple HVAC professional right away if you cannot solve the rattling sound by tightening a screw or two.

Rumbling

There’s a difference between rattling, banging, and rumbling. A rumbling sound normally indicates a furnace that hasn’t been maintained in a while. This usually means dirty gas burners or a pilot light that needs to be adjusted.

The furnace flame should be blue, which indicates a clean and efficient burn. It’s fine if there is a small yellow tip, but if your flame is any other color than blue, contact your Green Apple HVAC professional right away. A lot of red, yellow, orange, purple, or green indicates inefficient and potentially hazardous conditions.

High-Pitched Squealing or Screeching

The fastest and most effective way to fix this problem is by calling your local Green Apple HVAC professional to take a look and fix the problem for you.

If, however, you would like to find out what is going on and see if it’s something you want to handle, continue reading.

Squealing, whining, and whistling noises aren’t as big of a deal as metal-against-metal and booming noises, but it’s still something you want to keep an ear out for.

• If you have a belt-driven motor, loose, or damaged blower belts can cause a squealing or similar sound.
• Shaft bearings and other moving parts may have become dry. Contact a Green Apple professional technician to lubricate your moving furnace parts. Again, a furnace tune-up would have taken care of this issue.
• Malfunctioning blower motors may be the culprit. Contact a Green Apple professional for information on repair or replacement.
• Green Apple Plumbing & Mechanical NJ are the experts you can trust. We have been serving the New Jersey area for years with professionalism and expertise. Customer service and care are always our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of your HVAC or plumbing needs call toll-free @888-315-5564