Three Approaches To Make Your Furnace Quieter
As your furnace switches on and begins to warm up your residence, it’s typical for it to produce some noise. These sounds, including the burners firing up and the blower whirring, are all part of the typical start-up procedures.
But there are a couple of steps you can do to make your furnace less noisy this winter.
1. Book Yearly Furnace Maintenance
Furnace maintenance is highly important, since it keeps your manufacturer warranty ongoing. This helps protect you if something big stops working in your furnace during your warranty range.
It can also help our pros discover small issues that could make your furnace noisy. And potentially help you sidestep a malfunction on the chilliest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can lower your likelihood of furnace meltdowns by up to 95%.
If small furnace issues go undetected, they may cause trouble later on. By finding these problems sooner, our techs can get your furnace fixed before heating season begins.
And most important, pro cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving pieces can help make it more efficient. A well-maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your heating costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2. Routinely Install A New Furnace’s Air Filter
Your air filter helps keep your home’s air fresh and clean. When it gets too filthy, it can make your furnace turn on and off more than it should. Known as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to consume additional energy and make it wear out faster.
Our recommendations for replacing your furnace filter:
- Flat filter: Once a month
- Pleated filter: Every three months
You could have to replace your filter more often if you have allergies or pets.
3. Get In Touch With Tokay When Your Furnace Is Producing Strange Noises
Some furnaces, especially older ones, may be louder than others. But if you’re detecting extremely loud or odd noises, you should call a heating and cooling company like Tokay for furnace repair in Lodi.
Here are several noises to be looking for, how to solve them and when to get in touch with a pro.
Furnace Making Gurgling Or Bubbling Noise
This noise happens more frequently with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s due to the fact they exhaust fumes in another way than older furnaces, and the process can make some moisture. If your furnace is running into difficulties draining this water, it can make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll need professional support for this problem, since it can be created by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.
Furnace Making Banging Noise
It’s not a positive 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 making a banging sound when starting? Its burners could be dirty. Dirty burners can delay ignition, which results in gas accumulating within your furnace.
All that accumulated gas can create a banging or booming racket when your furnace eventually does ignite. But this is more than just an irritating noise, since the built-up gas is igniting within your furnace. This can crack your furnace’s heat exchanger and create a life-threatening carbon monoxide leak.
If you’ve neglected regular maintenance for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give Tokay a shout at 209-257-3156. Our heating specialists will get your furnace tuned up and ensure it’s working correctly.
Your ductwork can also create banging sounds when your furnace switches on, as the metal is expanding and contracting.
We suggest first checking your furnace’s air filter and replacing it if it’s dirty. Next, ensure you don’t have too many vents shut in your house, as it can throw off air pressure.
If neither of these methods repair the issue, your ductwork could be dirty or undersized, which will call for assistance from a professional HVAC technician.
Furnace Making Humming Or Buzzing Noise
If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a flag there’s an electrical issue. This is most often seen with a faltering blower fan motor, which will produce an irritating buzzing noise when your furnace starts. It can also mean there’s trouble with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these problems need assistance from an experienced heating and cooling company like Tokay.
Furnace Making Knocking Noise
If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s usually a symptom that an internal part is breaking down. This might be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It may also be a symptom that your burners need cleaning.
These troubles are usually uncovered during annual maintenance provided by a certified HVAC tech. So, while we’re at your house performing repairs, don’t forget to ask us about requesting your maintenance appointment for the future.
Furnace Making Clicking Noise
A clicking sound may be the result of things: worn bearings, gas valve problems or ignition troubles. All these troubles need professional help.
At Tokay, our pros are here to help you unwind in peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it typically is or producing strange sounds, contact us at (209) 257-3156 to schedule an appointment today.
