As your furnace turns on and gets ready to heat your residence, it’s common for it to make some noise. These sounds, like the burners lighting and the blower whirring, are all part of the normal start-up procedures.

But there are a few steps you can do to make your furnace quieter this winter.

1. Book Regular Furnace Maintenance

Furnace maintenance is very important, because it keeps your manufacturer warranty ongoing. This helps shield you if something huge stops working in your furnace during your warranty range.

It can also help our professionals spot small issues that might make your furnace annoying. And possibly help you sidestep a breakdown on the chilliest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can reduce your probability of furnace malfunctions by up to 95%.

If small furnace issues go ignored, they may cause trouble later on. By discovering these problems sooner, our techs can get your furnace repaired before heating season begins.

And most essential, specialized cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving parts can help make it more efficient. A correctly maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your utility costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

2. Regularly Replace Your Furnace’s Air Filter

Your air filter helps keep your house’s air fresh and clean. When it gets too dirty, it can make your furnace turn on and off too often. Known as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to eat up additional energy and make it wear out faster.

Our recommendations for installing a new furnace filter:

  • Flat filter: Every month
  • Pleated filter: Every three months

You might have to install a new filter more frequently if you have allergies or pets.

3. Contact Home Comfort Heating & Air When Your Furnace Is Creating Odd Noises

Some furnaces, particularly older ones, can make more noise than others. But if you’re noticing very loud or weird noises, it may be time to get in touch with a heating and cooling company like Home Comfort Heating & Air for furnace repair in Elk River.

Here are a couple of noises to keep an eye out for, how to solve them and when to contact a professional.

Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise

This noise occurs more commonly with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s since they emit fumes differently than older furnaces, and the process can make some moisture. If your furnace is having difficulties draining this water, it could make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll want experienced support for this problem, since it may be created by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.

Furnace Making Banging Noise

It’s not a good thing when your furnace is making a banging sound. It might mean a couple of things.

Haven’t requested maintenance recently and your furnace is making a banging sound when starting? Its burners might be dirty. Dirty burners can stall ignition, which causes gas to accumulate inside your furnace.

All that increased gas can cause a banging or booming racket when your furnace finally does ignite. But this is more than only an irritating noise, because the accumulated gas is exploding within your furnace. This can crack your furnace’s heat exchanger and cause a life-threatening carbon monoxide leak.

If you’ve forgotten regular maintenance for your furnace and you’re detecting this noise, give Home Comfort Heating & Air a ring at 763-276-0617. Our heating specialists will get your furnace tuned up and make sure it’s working correctly.

Your ductwork can also create banging sounds when your furnace turns on, since the metal is expanding and contracting.

We recommend first inspecting your furnace’s air filter and getting a new one if it’s filthy. Next, make sure you don’t have too many vents sealed in your house, as it can force air pressure out of balance.

If neither of these methods repair the issue, your ductwork could be dirty or undersized, which will be a need for assistance from a pro HVAC tech.

Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise

If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a flag there’s an electrical problem. This is most often seen with a dying blower fan motor, which will make an irritating buzzing noise when your furnace turns on. It can also mean there’s trouble with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these problems need help from a skilled heating and cooling company like Home Comfort Heating & Air.

Furnace Making Knocking Noise

If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s usually a symptom that an internal component is breaking down. This can be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It may also be an indication that your burners are dirty.

These problems are frequently uncovered during regular maintenance provided by a certified HVAC technician. So, while we’re at your home working on repairs, don’t forget to check with us about booking your maintenance appointment for the future.

Furnace Making Clicking Noise

A clicking sound might be the result of troubles: worn bearings, gas valve problems or ignition problems. All these issues need professional help.

At Home Comfort Heating & Air, our specialists are here to help you enjoy peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it usually is or producing odd sounds, contact us at 763-276-0617 to get an appointment right away.