Our houses make a variety of sounds throughout the day. From groaning floorboards to creaking walls, your home is a pretty noisy place. But one place you might not expect to hear sounds from is your home heating system. However, it isn’t entirely uncommon to hear sounds coming from your furnace, including popping, humming, and more. These sounds can be concerning to homeowners if they aren’t sure what the root cause of the sound is.
To help ease the minds of homeowners who are experiencing these sounds, our team at Genuine Comfort has compiled a list of the five most common sounds that may come from your furnace and whether they are sounds that you should be worried about. If there are sounds coming from your furnace and you aren’t sure of the cause, keep reading to see what might be causing them.
Should You Be Worried about Sounds Coming From Your Furnace
While we understand that you may be concerned if you hear abnormal sounds coming from your furnace, these sounds don’t necessarily mean there is a problem with the system. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for your HVAC system to make a variety of noises throughout the day.
Many of these noises you experience are simply a result of the regular function of the system, and over time, you’ll grow accustomed to them. However, to understand what noises are normal and which you should be concerned about, it is important to understand the most common noises you should expect to hear.
The Most Common Sounds
There are five common sounds that may come from your furnace, many of which are not means of concern. These common sounds coming from your furnace include:
1. Popping
If you’ve just recently upgraded your home’s furnace, you may notice it making a popping noise. These sounds coming from your furnace are especially common if your previous furnace was relatively old and you’ve replaced it with a newer, much stronger furnace. The blower in newer furnaces is much stronger than older models, leading to the contracting and expanding of the ductwork attached to it.
As the motor kicks on, you’ll hear this popping as the metal ductwork expands to accommodate the strength of the blower. This sound isn’t anything homeowners should be especially concerned with, as it doesn’t indicate any problems with their home heating system. However, if this sound is bothersome, you may attach a piece of metal or spray foam to the portion of the duct that is making this noise to tighten the metal and prevent further noise.
2. Rattling
Rattling sounds from your furnace may indicate a potential problem within the system. It is important to identify where specifically the sound is coming from to understand what repairs are required. This may simply indicate that your furnace needs new air filters, which you can quickly and easily replace on your own.
However, this rattling noise may also indicate loose or broken components within the system. If you are not sure where the sound is originating from or how to make the appropriate repairs, it is best to reach out to your HVAC professional. They can visit and make any necessary repairs to your system before they become more extensive.
3. Humming
It isn’t uncommon to hear humming sounds coming from your furnace for a few reasons. If the seams in your ductwork are older and becoming loose, you may hear humming as air passes through any partial gapping. As the air escapes, it causes the metal of your ductwork to vibrate, leading to this humming noise.
It may also be a result of the electrical current in your transformer. As the electrical current passes through the transformer, it may make a low humming noise. This is the same low-humming noise you may notice near a telephone pole. It is simply a vibration as the electricity passes through the system and isn’t a sound you should be concerned about hearing in your home.
4. Bangs
Of all of the sounds coming from your furnace, the one that you might need to be most concerned about is consistent bangs or booms. Booming or banging may indicate that your furnace is experiencing a delayed ignition. When the furnace doesn’t light immediately after gas is released into the system, the gas is allowed to build up, leading to bangs or booms.
If left unaddressed, these noises can lead to much more costly and extensive repairs for your home’s furnace. This isn’t the kind of problem that should be addressed without the help of a professional. If you hear these sounds, it is best to reach out to an HVAC professional for furnace repairs as soon as possible.
5. Crackling
When you hear crackling sounds coming from your furnace, you might think that this indicates a significant problem within your system. However, this is an incredibly common noise and actually doesn’t indicate a major problem that you will need to be worried about. Most homeowners notice this crackling sound after their furnace shuts off.
This sound is a result of the system beginning to cool off. As the metal components cool down after the system shuts off, they may begin to crackle. It may make this noise for a few minutes and then should die down. If you’ve recently upgraded to a newer furnace and you’re just noticing these noises, don’t worry. It is a completely normal noise to experience.
Address the Sounds Coming From Your Furnace with an HVAC Professional
If there are sounds coming from your furnace that you are struggling to identify, it might be time for you to reach out to your HVAC professional for help. At Genuine Comfort, our team of HVAC experts has years of experience installing and repairing a variety of systems. We’re confident that we can help you identify any unexpected noises from your furnace and address any potential problems you may run into.
In addition to our furnace maintenance and repair services, we provide homeowners across Northern Utah with ductless air conditioning, air filtration systems, and more. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with a member of our team to address the sounds coming from your furnace, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
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