As your furnace starts up and begins to warm up your home, it’s normal for it to create some noise. These sounds, including the burners firing up and the blower whirring, are all part of the normal start-up process.

But there are several approaches you can do to make your furnace quieter this winter.

1. Book Annual Furnace Maintenance

Furnace maintenance is extremely important, as it keeps your manufacturer warranty ongoing. This helps defend you if something major stops working in your furnace during your warranty period.

It can also help us find small issues that could make your furnace noisy. And possibly help you avoid a malfunction on the coldest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can reduce your likelihood of furnace meltdowns by up to 95%.

If little furnace issues go undetected, they may lead to trouble later on. By uncovering these problems sooner, our professionals can get your furnace repaired before heating season is in full swing.

And most important, specialized cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving components can help make it more efficient. A well-maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your utility costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

2. Frequently Replace Your Furnace’s Air Filter

Your air filter helps keep your home’s air fresh and clean. When it gets too dirty, it can make your furnace turn on and off too frequently. Called short cycling, this can cause your furnace to eat up additional gas and make it wear out faster.

Our suggestions for installing a new furnace filter:

  • Flat filter: Monthly
  • Pleated filter: Every three months

You may have to change your filter more regularly if you have allergies or pets.

3. Call Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating When Your Furnace Is Making Strange Noises

Some furnaces, often older ones, might make more noise than others. But if you’re hearing extremely loud or weird noises, you should get in touch with a heating and cooling company like Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating for furnace repair in Northridge.

Here are several noises to be on the lookout for, how to fix them and when to call a pro.

Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise

This noise happens more frequently with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s because they discharge fumes dissimilarly than older furnaces, and the process can make some moisture. If your furnace is having difficulties draining this water, it can make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll need professional support for this issue, since it could be created by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.

Furnace Making Banging Noise

It’s not a good thing when your furnace is making a banging sound. It could mean a couple of things.

Haven’t requested maintenance recently and your furnace is producing a banging sound when turning on? Its burners may be dirty. Dirty burners can hold up ignition, which causes gas to accumulate within your furnace.

All that increased gas can make a banging or booming sound when your furnace ultimately does ignite. But this is more than just an irritating noise, because the accumulated gas is igniting within your furnace. This can damage your furnace’s heat exchanger and cause a deadly carbon monoxide leak.

If you’ve overlooked regular tune-ups for your furnace and you’re hearing this noise, give Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating a call at (818) 727-9993. Our heating specialists will get your furnace tuned up and make sure it’s operating correctly.

Your ductwork can also make banging sounds when your furnace turns on, because the metal is expanding and contracting.

We recommend first looking at your furnace’s air filter and installing a new one if it’s clogged. Next, make sure you don’t have too many vents closed in your home, as it can throw off air pressure.

If neither of these methods repair the problem, your ductwork may be dirty or undersized, which will call for assistance from a skilled HVAC tech.

Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise

If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a sign there’s an electrical problem. This is most frequently seen with a faltering blower fan motor, which will produce a loud buzzing noise when your furnace switches on. It may also mean there’s a problem with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these issues need assistance from a professional heating and cooling company like Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating.

Furnace Making Knocking Noise

If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s often a symptom that an internal part is going out. This may be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It could also be a symptom that your burners need cleaning.

These problems are typically uncovered during yearly maintenance performed by a certified HVAC tech. So, while we’re at your residence working on repairs, don’t forget to ask us about scheduling your maintenance appointment for the upcoming year.

Furnace Making Clicking Noise

A clicking sound might be the result of issues: worn bearings, gas valve problems or ignition troubles. All these troubles need professional assistance.

At Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating, our specialists are here to help you relax in peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it usually is or producing weird sounds, contact us at (818) 727-9993 to get an appointment now.