Whenever your furnace begins to make noise, you should sit up and take notice. Failing to do so may leave you cold and uncomfortable in Harvey, LA this winter, or it may even place you in danger. Here are three furnace noises that you should never ignore.
1. Rattling
Rattling sounds coming from your furnace may have three causes: a loose component, some debris tumbling around the interior or a cracked heat exchanger. The easiest way to take care of the first two issues is to schedule a maintenance appointment. As part of an annual tune-up, HVAC technicians can, among other things, remove any stray debris from your furnace, clean its coils or motors, and tighten all of the important bolts that will keep everything in place.
A cracked heat exchanger, however, is a much more serious matter. If the heat exchanger cracks, it may release carbon monoxide into your home and put you in some significant danger. To set things right again, HVAC technicians will have to repair or replace it.
2. Whistling
Surprisingly, this noise may sometimes result from dirty air filters. As dust and other pollutants accumulate on your furnace’s filters, they will start to interfere with airflow and may come into contact with passing air at a strange angle, thus creating friction and whistling sounds. This is one of many reasons why you must remember to clean or replace your furnace’s filters approximately once every 90 days.
3. Humming or Buzzing
While it’s perfectly normal for your furnace to give off a soft humming sound, a louder humming or buzzing may provide cause for alarm. These latter noises often suggest issues with your furnace’s motor or fans. They may also arise from loose screws or poorly installed filters.
If you ignore any odd sounds coming from the furnace in your Harvey, LA home, you may have a larger repair bill. As soon as you hear anything abnormal, call Caribbean Breeze Heating & Cooling and ask for our heating repair services.
Image provided by iStock