Clanging, Hissing and Rattling: What Six Common Furnace Sounds Mean

When your furnace is running properly, it should give heat without creating too much noise. While it’s normal to hear your furnace making noise as it turns on, other sounds are indicating your furnace requires immediate professional assistance.

Here are some of the most frequent furnace noises and what they might be indicating. If your furnace is making a strange noise, our friendly heating professionals are here to assist with the best furnace repair in Northridge, California.

1. Furnace Making a Banging Noise

You could have an urgent situation on your hands if you’re detecting your furnace making a banging noise. If your furnace is making a knocking noise, it may signal there could be a couple of problems. These include gas building up in your furnace or a ductwork issue.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Furnace

Your heating system becomes filthy over time, so that’s why it’s critical to schedule annual furnace maintenance with Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating. One of the things our technicians do during this work is clean your furnace’s burners. When this component gets dirty, you might hear your furnace making a loud rumbling noise when ignition is delayed. The subsequent gas buildup may crack your furnace’s heat exchanger, where natural gas turns into heat. Any fractures in it can discharge carbon monoxide, which is ordinarily emitted outside. This toxic gas can be fatal in large concentrations.

If you’re hearing banging or knocking sounds coming from your furnace, Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating recommends turning it off and contacting us at (818) 727-9993. Too much natural gas in your furnace or a cracked heat exchanger are serious troubles that should get fast repairs.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Ductwork

Your furnace relies on ductwork to provide hot air around your house. If the ductwork wasn’t designed properly or is getting old, it can be loud when your furnace runs. This could be the problem if your furnace makes a banging noise when it shuts off. Contact Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating at (818) 727-9993 and we’ll figure out the problem.

2. Furnace Buzzes Constantly

If you observe your furnace making a buzzing noise, don’t delay calling us. A buzzing sound usually is telling you there’s an electrical situation, like with its transformer, blower motor or capacitor.

Your furnace uses an internal transformer to work on the correct voltage. If wires or the box needs to be tightened, you could notice a low humming noise in the furnace when off. Your furnace also has a blower motor, which moves hot or cold air around your home, and a capacitor, which starts the motor. If either of these parts are fading, they will buzz when the furnace starts.

3. Furnace Making a Rattling Noise

If your furnace is making a rattling noise, it can be related to something small, like an unsecure screw, or something serious, like a broken part. In either case, we recommend shutting off your furnace and getting in touch with our heating professionals at (818) 727-9993 for help.

4. Furnace Making a Squealing Noise

If your furnace makes a high-pitched noise, like squealing, when it’s going, it’s trying to tell you it could use some TLC. If you’ve neglected furnace maintenance the last couple of years, belts could be worn out or a bearing may need to be lubricated. We are aware that maintenance frequently slips your mind, but our technicians can get your furnace heating quietly again fast.

5. Furnace Makes a Whistling Sound Like Air Escaping

When you’re detecting your furnace making a whistling noise, it’s likely the result of an air leak in your ductwork. You could also be aware of whistling while the furnace is on if a floor vent is loose. If you’ve examined your vents but are still hearing noise, Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating can provide support. It’s critical to get loose ductwork repaired fast, because it can result in comfort troubles in your residence and drive up your energy costs.

6. Furnace Making a Grinding Noise

It’s not a positive sign if you detect your furnace making a grinding noise. This metal-on-metal racket often means there’s trouble with your furnace’s blower. Switch off your furnace off promptly and reach our pros at (818) 727-9993 for help.

When you’re getting a weird noise from your furnace, Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating is ready to support you. Contact us at (818) 727-9993 to book your furnace repair appointment right away.