As your furnace starts up and gets ready to add warmth to your house, it’s expected for it to produce some noise. These sounds, like the burners lighting and the blower whirring, are all part of the usual start-up process.

But there are several approaches you can do to make your furnace run more quietly this winter.

1. Schedule Regular Furnace Maintenance

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

It can also help our professionals discover small issues that could make your furnace noisy. And possibly help you prevent a breakdown on the most frigid day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that annual maintenance can lower your chance of furnace malfunctions by up to 95%.

If little furnace issues go unnoticed, they may cause trouble later on. By unearthing these problems sooner, our professionals can get your furnace fixed before heating season is underway.

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

2. Routinely Install a New Furnace’s Air Filter

Your air filter helps keep your residence’s air fresh and clean. When it turns too clogged, it can make your furnace turn on and off too frequently. Known as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to eat up additional gas and make it stop working faster.

Our advice for replacing your furnace filter:

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

You might have to get a new filter more often if you have allergies or pets.

3. Contact Age Heating & Cooling When Your Furnace Is Making Weird Noises

Some furnaces, often older ones, could be louder than others. But if you’re noticing extremely loud or odd noises, you might need to call a heating and cooling company like Age Heating & Cooling for furnace repair in Sandpoint.

Here are several 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 discharge fumes in another way than older furnaces, and the process can make some moisture. If your furnace is experiencing difficulties discharging this water, it can make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll need skilled support for this problem, since it can be created by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.

Furnace Making Banging Noise

It’s not a great thing when your furnace is making a banging sound. It could mean several things.

Haven’t had maintenance done recently and your furnace is making a banging sound when starting? Its burners might be dirty. Dirty burners can delay ignition, which results in gas accumulating in your furnace.

All that increased gas can make a banging or booming noise when your furnace finally does ignite. But this is more than only an irritating noise, because the increased gas is exploding within your furnace. This can break your furnace’s heat exchanger and create a deadly carbon monoxide leak.

If you’ve neglected regular tune-ups for your furnace and you’re hearing this noise, give Age Heating & Cooling a call at 208-603-2210. Our heating specialists will get your furnace tuned up and double-check it’s operating correctly.

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

We recommend first looking at your furnace’s air filter and installing a new one if it’s dirty. Next, make sure you don’t have too many vents sealed in your home, as it can make air pressure uneven.

If neither of these methods repair the issue, your ductwork might be dirty or undersized, which will require assistance from a pro HVAC technician.

Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise

If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a sign there’s an electrical problem. This is most often seen with a dying blower fan motor, which will create an irritating buzzing noise when your furnace switches on. It could also mean there’s trouble with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these issues need assistance from an experienced heating and cooling company like Age Heating & Cooling.

Furnace Making Knocking Noise

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

These troubles are often uncovered during regular maintenance performed by a certified HVAC technician. So, while we’re at your house doing repairs, don’t forget to inquire about requesting your maintenance appointment for next year.

Furnace Making Clicking Noise

A clicking sound can be the result of troubles: worn bearings, gas valve troubles or ignition problems. All these issues need pro support.

At Age Heating & Cooling, our experts are here to help you unwind in peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than normal or producing odd sounds, contact us at 208-603-2210 to get an appointment right away.