Banging, Screeching and Rattling: What 6 Ordinary Furnace Noises Signify

October 13, 2020

When your furnace is running like it should, it should give warmth without creating too much disruption. While it’s common to catch your furnace making noise as it turns on, other sounds are indicating your furnace requires immediate professional assistance.

Here are some of the most frequent furnace noises and what they can mean. If your furnace is making an atypical noise, our friendly heating pros are here to fix the problem with the best furnace repair in York, PA.

1. Furnace Making a Banging Noise

You may have a critical issue on your hands if you’re noticing your furnace making a banging noise. If your furnace is making a knocking noise, it may indicate there could be several problems. These involve gas building up in your furnace or a ductwork problem.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Furnace

Your heating system turns dirty over time, so that’s why it’s critical to book routine furnace maintenance with Strine's Heating & Air Conditioning. One of the tasks our technicians complete during this appointment is clean your furnace’s burners. When this piece gets grimy, you could hear your furnace making a loud rumbling noise after ignition takes longer than normal. The following gas buildup can fracture your furnace’s heat exchanger, where natural gas changes into warm air. Any fractures in it can leak carbon monoxide, which is normally vented outside. This hazardous gas can be fatal in large concentrations.

If you’re aware of banging or knocking sounds coming from your furnace, Strine's Heating & Air Conditioning advises turning it off and reaching us at 717-383-4479. Significant natural gas in your furnace or a ruptured heat exchanger are critical issues that should get immediate repairs.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Ductwork

Your furnace works with ductwork to provide heated air across your house. If the ductwork wasn’t designed properly or is aging, it can be loud when your furnace runs. This might be the case if your furnace makes a banging noise when it shuts off. Contact Strine's Heating & Air Conditioning at 717-383-4479 and we’ll determine 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 frequently indicates an electrical issue, like with its transformer, blower motor or capacitor.

Your furnace depends on an internal transformer to run on the proper voltage. If wires or the box is loose, you may notice a low humming noise in the furnace when off. Your furnace also has a blower motor, which moves warm or cooled air across your home, and a capacitor, which starts the motor. If either of these parts are going out, they will buzz when the furnace switches on.

3. Furnace Making a Rattling Noise

If your furnace is making a rattling noise, it can be due to something little, like an unsecure screw, or something critical, like a broken component. In either case, we urge you to shut your furnace off and contacting our heating professionals at 717-383-4479 for help.

4. Furnace Making a Squealing Noise

If your furnace makes a high-pitched noise, like squealing, when it’s on, it’s trying to alert you it requires some TLC. If you’ve forgotten furnace maintenance the past few years, belts could be worn down or a bearing could need to be greased. We know that maintenance often slips your mind, but our techs can get your furnace heating quietly again fast.

5. Furnace Making a Whistling Noise

When you’re noticing your furnace making a whistling noise, it’s frequently because of an air leak in your ductwork. You could also hear whistling while the furnace is working if a floor vent isn’t secure. If you’ve checked your vents but are still noticing noise, Strine's Heating & Air Conditioning can provide support. It’s essential to get loose ductwork taken care of fast, because it can result in comfort troubles in your house and increase your heating 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 noise usually means there’s trouble with your furnace’s blower. Switch off your furnace off right away and reach our professionals at 717-383-4479 for help.

When you’re noticing a strange noise from your furnace, Strine's Heating & Air Conditioning is available to help. Contact us at 717-383-4479 to book your furnace repair appointment right away.