Clanging, Hissing and Rattling: What Six Typical Furnace Noises Mean

When your furnace is working properly, it should provide warmth without creating too much sound. While it’s expected to notice your furnace making noise as it starts up, other sounds are showing your furnace should get immediate professional support.

Here are some of the most reported furnace noises and what they can be signaling. If your furnace is making an atypical noise, our friendly heating pros are here to assist with the best furnace repair in Pflugerville, Texas.

1. Furnace Making a Banging Noise

You could have a critical problem on your hands if you’re noticing your furnace making a banging noise. If your furnace is making a knocking noise, it can mean there could be several problems. These include gas accumulating in your furnace or a ductwork situation.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Furnace

Your heating system turns dirty over the years, so that’s why it’s important to set annual furnace maintenance with Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning. One of the jobs our pros do during this service is clean your furnace’s burners. When this component gets grimy, you could hear your furnace making a loud rumbling noise if ignition takes more time. The resulting gas buildup may crack your furnace’s heat exchanger, where natural gas changes into warm air. Any cracks in it can leak carbon monoxide, which is normally released outdoors. This hazardous gas can be deadly in large concentrations.

If you’re hearing banging or knocking sounds coming from your furnace, Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning advises turning it off and calling us at 512-355-1482. Significant natural gas in your furnace or a ruptured heat exchanger are hazardous troubles that necessitate immediate repairs.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Ductwork

Your furnace works with ductwork to provide warm air around your home. If the ductwork wasn’t designed correctly or is getting dated, it can be noisy when your furnace is heating. This could be the issue if your furnace makes a banging noise when it shuts off. Contact Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning at 512-355-1482 and we’ll pinpoint the problem.

2. Furnace Making a Buzzing Noise

If you observe your furnace making a buzzing noise, don’t wait to call us. A buzzing sound often is telling you there’s an electrical problem, like with its transformer, blower motor or capacitor.

Your furnace depends on an internal transformer to operate on the right voltage. If wires or the box needs to be tightened, you may notice a low humming noise in the furnace when off. Your furnace also works with a blower motor, which distributes hot or cold air around your house, and a capacitor, which starts the motor. If either of these components are going out, they will buzz when the furnace turns on.

3. Furnace Makes Rattling Sounds Like Something Is Loose

If your furnace is making a rattling noise, it could be due to something small, like a loose screw, or something serious, like a broken part. In either case, we advise shutting your furnace off and contacting our heating pros at 512-355-1482 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 alert you it needs some TLC. If you’ve neglected furnace maintenance recently, belts could be worn down or a bearing could need to be lubricated. We know that maintenance often slips your mind, but our professionals can get your furnace operating quietly again rapidly.

5. Furnace Makes a Whistling Sound Like Air Escaping

When you’re noticing your furnace making a whistling noise, it’s typically due to an air leak in your ductwork. You could also hear whistling while the furnace is operating if a floor vent is loose. If you’ve examined your vents but are still sensing whistling, Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning can help. It’s essential to get loose ductwork repaired quickly, because it can make comfort problems in your home and increase your utility costs.

6. Furnace Makes Noise that Sounds Like Scraping Metal

It’s not a good sign if you hear your furnace making a grinding noise. This metal-on-metal sound frequently means there’s an issue with your furnace’s blower. Switch off your furnace off promptly and contact us at 512-355-1482 for support.

When you’re noticing a weird noise from your furnace, Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning is available to help. Contact us at 512-355-1482 to book your furnace repair appointment today.