Clanging, Screeching and Rattling: What Six Familiar Furnace Sounds Mean

When your furnace is working correctly, it should give warmth without making too much disruption. While it’s expected to hear your furnace making noise as it starts up, other sounds are indicating your furnace needs immediate professional assistance.

Here are some of the most frequent furnace noises and what they could be signaling. If your furnace is making an odd noise, our friendly heating specialists are here to help with the best furnace repair in Buellton, California.

1. Furnace Makes Banging or Knocking Sounds

You might have a serious problem on your hands if you’re noticing your furnace making a banging noise. If your furnace is making a knocking noise, it may signal there could be several problems. These range from gas building up in your furnace or a ductwork problem.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Furnace

Your heating system becomes dirty as time passes, so that’s why it’s important to set seasonal furnace maintenance with Allstar Heating & Air Conditioning. One of the jobs our professionals perform during this work is clean your furnace’s burners. When this part gets grubby, you might hear your furnace making a loud rumbling noise after ignition is delayed. The ensuing gas buildup can crack your furnace’s heat exchanger, where natural gas transforms into heat. Any cracks in it can emit carbon monoxide, which is regularly vented away from your home. This dangerous gas can be deadly in large concentrations.

If you’re aware of banging or knocking sounds coming from your furnace, Allstar Heating & Air Conditioning recommends turning it off and contacting us at 805-242-9638. Excessive natural gas in your furnace or a broken heat exchanger are critical issues that necessitate immediate service.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Ductwork

Your furnace uses ductwork to provide heated air across your house. If the ductwork wasn’t installed right or is aging, it can make a lot of noise when your furnace is heating. This could be the problem if your furnace makes a banging noise when it shuts off. Get in touch with Allstar Heating & Air Conditioning at 805-242-9638 and we’ll pinpoint the problem.

2. Furnace Making a Buzzing Noise

If you hear your furnace making a buzzing noise, don’t wait to call us. A buzzing sound usually is telling you there’s an electrical situation, like with its transformer, blower motor or capacitor.

Your furnace uses an internal transformer to operate on the right voltage. If wires or the box needs to be tightened, you may notice a low humming noise in the furnace when off. Your furnace also uses a blower motor, which moves warm or cold air throughout your rooms, and a capacitor, which turns on the motor. If either of these pieces are going out, they will buzz when the furnace starts.

3. Furnace Rattles

If your furnace is making a rattling noise, it may be related to something minor, like a loose screw, or something serious, like a broken part. In either case, we recommend shutting off your furnace and contacting our heating pros at 805-242-9638 for help.

4. Furnace Is Making a High-Pitched Squealing Sound

If your furnace makes a high-pitched noise, like squealing, when it’s running, it’s making an effort to alert you it needs some TLC. If you’ve forgotten furnace maintenance the last couple of years, belts could be worn down or a bearing might need to be lubricated. We know that maintenance sometimes slips your mind, but our technicians can get your furnace running quietly again quickly.

5. Furnace Making a Whistling Noise

When you’re noticing your furnace making a whistling noise, it’s frequently the result of an air leak in your ductwork. You could also be aware of whistling while the furnace is on if a floor vent is loose. If you’ve checked your vents but are still sensing sound, Allstar Heating & Air Conditioning can help. It’s critical to get loose ductwork fixed without delay, as it can result in comfort troubles in your residence and increase your energy bills.

6. Furnace Makes Noise that Sounds Like Scraping Metal

It’s not a positive sign if you detect your furnace making a grinding noise. This metal-on-metal sound frequently means there’s a problem with your furnace’s blower. Switch off your furnace off promptly and contact us at 805-242-9638 for help.

When you’re getting an atypical noise from your furnace, Allstar Heating & Air Conditioning is ready to provide assistance. Contact us at 805-242-9638 to schedule your furnace repair appointment now.