Worried about the noise your furnace is making?
Call the professionals at Princeton Air! 609-799-3434
The optimal furnace noise is no furnace noise at all! At their best, your home’s heating and cooling systems should be delivering quiet, reliable home comfort, but unfortunately, sometimes that doesn’t happen. If you’ve woken up in your home in Mercer, Middlesex, or Somerset County, NJ or Bucks County, PA to a strange sound coming from your vents or from your furnace down in the basement, you’re likely confused (and maybe a little worried).
Don’t worry—here’s what you need to know about the different unusual sounds that a furnace can make, and what they all mean, from your local HVAC expert, Princeton Air.
Grinding, Scraping, or Clanking
Furnaces that are making a grinding noise could have a loose blower wheel that’s hitting up against the blower housing. Without attention from a qualified HVAC technician, you could end up damaging both.
Low-Pitched Loud Rumbling
The most common reason for a furnace making a loud rumbling noise is a dirty burner, where soot or dirt buildup is blocking airflow to the burner. This is especially likely if your furnace hasn’t been serviced recently.
Similar to issues with your burner, a pilot light that’s dirty or not properly adjusted can also cause your furnace to make weird sounds. In either scenario, a routine maintenance visit from a local heating and cooling expert can clean your furnace unit and have your system running smoothly again quickly.
High-Pitched Squealing or Screeching
If you’re hearing your furnace make a high pitched noise, listen carefully. Is it more of a whistle, or more like a squealing or screeching? If it’s more like a whistle, you could be having low return airflow issues, and your furnace is increasing air pressure to compensate.
If it’s more of a squealing or screeching noise, you might have dry bearings in your blower motor or a loose fan belt. These aren’t end-of-the-world HVAC problems, but it’s better to give a professional a call for quieter operation and extended lifespan for your equipment.
Thumping or Banging
Hearing a loud knocking or thumping sound when your heating system turns on? If your furnace is making a banging noise, that could be a serious problem. Some of the potential issues include:
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An unbalanced blower motor or blower wheel
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Gas build-ups creating delayed gas ignition
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Air ducts expanding or contracting
A qualified furnace technician can find out what’s really going on, and how to fix the problem so you can get back to comfortable, quiet heating.
Reach Out to Princeton Air for Expert Furnace Repair
From loud pops and banging sounds to whining noises, a heating or air conditioning system can drive you up the wall when it’s making weird sounds. Luckily, professional HVAC help is available near you from Princeton Air. Our trained and certified heating and cooling experts know home HVAC systems from top to bottom, and whether you need furnace repair or replacement, we’ll recommend the best solution for your family.
Plus, with regular furnace maintenance, you can help avoid breakdowns and expensive repair calls. Princeton Air Club Membership gets you priority service, discounts on (or even free) repairs, as well as our comprehensive 12-point heating and cooling maintenance tune-ups. The cost of membership is less than you’d pay to schedule two maintenance visits every year, so there’s no reason not to join!
