Banging, Screeching and Rattling: What 6 Typical Furnace Noises Indicate

October 13, 2020

When your furnace is working properly, it should give warm air without generating too much noise. While it’s normal to catch your furnace making noise as it turns on, other disruptions are indicating your furnace should get immediate professional help.

Here are some of the most common furnace noises and what they might mean. If your furnace is making a weird noise, our friendly heating specialists are here to fix the problem with the best furnace repair in Florissant, MO.

1. Furnace Making a Banging Noise

You could have a critical situation on your hands if you’re detecting 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 gets filthy over time, so that’s why it’s essential to set annual furnace maintenance with B & B Heating & Cooling. One of the things our techs do during this service is clean your furnace’s burners. When this component gets grubby, you could hear your furnace making a loud rumbling noise when ignition is delayed. The ensuing gas buildup can break your furnace’s heat exchanger, where natural gas turns into heat. Any fractures in it can leak carbon monoxide, which is regularly released outside. This dangerous gas can be fatal in large concentrations.

If you’re hearing banging or knocking sounds coming from your furnace, B & B Heating & Cooling urges you to turn it off and calling us at 314-325-7552. Too much natural gas in your furnace or a ruptured heat exchanger are serious problems that require fast repairs.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Ductwork

Your furnace uses ductwork to provide heated air around your home. If the ductwork wasn’t installed right or is aging, it can be loud when your furnace is on. This can be the problem if your furnace makes a banging noise when it shuts off. Call B & B Heating & Cooling at 314-325-7552 and we’ll figure out the problem.

2. Furnace Making a Buzzing Noise

If you hear your furnace making a buzzing noise, don’t hesitate to call us. A buzzing sound often means there’s an electrical issue, like with its transformer, blower motor or capacitor.

Your furnace uses an internal transformer to work on the right voltage. If wires or the box needs to be tightened, you may detect a low humming noise in the furnace when off. Your furnace also uses a blower motor, which sends heated or cooled air across your space, and a capacitor, which starts the motor. If either of these pieces are fading, they will buzz when the furnace switches on.

3. Furnace Making a Rattling Noise

If your furnace is making a rattling noise, it may be due to something minor, like an unfastened screw, or something critical, like a broken component. In either case, we recommend shutting off your furnace and calling our heating specialists at 314-325-7552 for support.

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 skipped furnace maintenance recently, belts could be dilapidated or a bearing could need to be lubricated. We know that maintenance frequently slips your mind, but our technicians can get your furnace operating quietly again rapidly.

5. Furnace Making a Whistling Noise

When you’re detecting your furnace making a whistling noise, it’s typically the result of 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 checked your vents but are still hearing sound, B & B Heating & Cooling can assist you. It’s essential to get loose ductwork fixed fast, as it can make comfort problems in your residence and drive up your energy costs.

6. Furnace Making a Grinding Noise

It’s not a positive sign if you hear your furnace making a grinding noise. This metal-on-metal sound frequently means there’s a problem with your furnace’s blower. Turn off your furnace off immediately and contact us at 314-325-7552 for help.

When you’re hearing a strange noise from your furnace, B & B Heating & Cooling is ready to help. Contact us at 314-325-7552 to book your furnace repair appointment now.