Why Does My Furnace Make So Much Noise in Fairfax, VA?

It’s perfectly normal for your furnace to produce a slight hum as it warms your home in Fairfax, VA. Loud booming sounds should justifiably scare you because they almost always mean trouble. Read on to learn what it means when your furnace makes noise.

Popping

The one exception to the rule equating loud furnace sounds with malfunctions or breakdowns concerns a certain popping sound that you might hear. This noise can arise if you haven’t used your heating system in a while, and it’s the result of your furnace’s ducts expanding after coming into contact with hot air. The key thing to remember is that this noise should only be temporary.

Rumbling

Two likely explanations for the rumbling noises emerging from your furnace are dirty burners and a malfunctioning pilot light. A ervice technician can clean your burners during maintenance, but the latter problem has the potential to be much more serious.

Your pilot light is the main detection system for carbon monoxide leaks, so you should take all malfunctions with it seriously. The light may be off because soot has blocked it, which a service technician can clean. Other problems may require the service technician to take the furnace apart.

Shrieking

If your furnace emits high-pitched shrieks, it probably means its blower belt no longer works. You’ll need to ask a service technician to replace it with a new one.

Whistling noises, which are somewhat similar, tend to come from your filter. You should replace your furnace’s filters about once every 90 days, but if you forget to do so, debris will accumulate on them and hinder airflow. Sometimes, as air flows through your heating system, the friction it causes when it moves past this debris will create a whistling sound.

Constant booming or piercing sounds are your furnace’s means of crying out for help. Listen to them. If you live around Fairfax, VA, call E.M. Logan Inc. to schedule furnace services today.

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