We’re at the tail end of heating season here in Walker, LA, and with warmer temperatures come the return of your air conditioner to prominence in your home. But now is the time when you need to watch out for problems with your furnace, which has been running all winter and may have suffered from wear and tear in the interim. One of the best ways to spot a problem with your furnace is to listen for any strange noises it may be emitting. Here’s a list of a few, and the possible causes. If you hear them, shut your system off and call a repair service as quickly as possible.
- Grinding. Grinding noises often take place when friction on moving parts becomes too strong. The fan motor, in particular, can be vulnerable to friction, especially if you haven’t serviced your system in a while.
- Booming. Booming noises can be very alarming, and while they’re not an active danger, they definitely spell trouble. They occur when the gas burners become clogged, causing them to misfire. Excessive gas builds up and when it ignites, it creates a booming noise.
- Hissing. Hissing noises are usually caused by leaking gas somewhere in the system, though sometimes an electrical issue such as a faulty or frayed wire is to blame.
- Buzzing. A bussing noise is often caused by a malfunctioning electrical component, which could result in the furnace not getting the power it needs. The ignition switch won’t turn on in some cases, and other electrical components could be adversely affected as well.
- Humming. Humming noises coming from the ducts may indicate a leak, pulling hot air from your system and forcing your heater to work harder to do its job. It may also be caused my stress on a metal component, causing it to vibrate as the heater works.
Call the pros at A Professional to get to the bottom of any strange noises in your furnace.