It is important to pay attention if your furnace starts to make unusual sounds. They may even be sounds that you’re used to hearing, but they are louder, more frequent, or happening at different times. If a furnace noise ever concerns you, it is important to get it checked out sooner rather than later. In fact, get it checked out right away—this is important for your safety, especially if you have a natural gas furnace.
Listen to your instincts! It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to caring for your heater and preventing a possible furnace breakdown. If you do think that you need furnace repair in Anaheim, our team can help you. Read on to learn more about four specific problem furnace sounds and why they should concern you.
Scraping or Screeching
If your furnace ever starts to sound like something inside is scraping or screeching, it is probably because that is exactly what is happening. Unfortunately, parts inside of your heater can bend, leading to friction. For example, a fan blade may get damaged and then screech against the metal siding when the fan spins. It’s also possible for a part to knock loose and sound like it is scraping when airflow moves it.
Grinding
This sound is a problem when it comes to the motors in the furnace. The gears that work together to make your heater motors run have lubricant that helps them move together with reduced friction. But over time, this lubricant wears away, and dusting grime can get trapped in between the gears.
If you catch this problem early, it can be an easy fix. Our team just needs to clean out the gears and relubricate them. However, if you ignore grinding sounds for too long, the stress on the motor can lead to more extensive damage and we may have to replace parts or the entire motor.
Popping or Banging
This sound is particularly concerning if you hear it when your furnace first turns on. If you have a gas furnace, it’s possible for there to be too much gas in the chamber where the igniter is located. If your heater is producing too much gas, it can lead to a small explosion during ignition. Allowing this to continue could crack the heat exchanger or lead to other major furnace problems. Plus, it’s dangerous for your home and family.
Squeaks and Squeals
If your furnace sounds squeaky, or makes a squealing sound, the belts may be to blame. (Belts are only in older furnaces. Newer ones use direct motors.) Over time, the belts inside of a furnace can come loose and make an unusual sound. You may be tempted to write off this sound as not being a big deal because it may not be too loud. But if you wait, then the belts may snap completely, leading to bigger problems. It’s better to replace the belts right away if you hear squealing.
Contact RKM Heating and Air Conditioning today to schedule an appointment with us. Done Right, Priced Right.