Furnaces make all sorts of sounds during operation. If you’ve had yours for any appreciable length of time, though, you probably know which sounds are normal and which are not. If you start noticing any unusual noises coming from your furnace, you should call for repairs right away. The sooner you can have your furnace repaired, the more damage to the system you can prevent. Read on for more information on specific sounds, and the problems they indicate.
Grinding
Your furnace uses an air handler to circulate warm air throughout the house. In order to cope with the extensive friction generated during operation, the air handler motor is equipped with lubricated bearings. These bearings wear down over time, producing a fairly loud grinding noise while the furnace is running. If you hear your furnace making grinding noises, call for repairs as soon as possible. Otherwise, you run the serious risk of your air handler motor burning out.
Booming
Sometimes, you may hear a deep booming sound when your furnace starts up. While this can sound alarming, it’s likely not dangerous. This kind of sound is often produced due to a delayed ignition in the burner assembly. If the assembly isn’t cleaned often enough, carbon buildup can prevent one or more of the jets in the assembly from firing on time. When the delayed jet finally does fire, it burns through all the excess gas at once and creates that booming sound. Getting your burner assembly professionally cleaned should fix this problem. Be sure to call for professional help quickly, though, as the problem can eventually prevent the furnace from igniting at all.