As you start to rely on your furnace more and more often this fall, you’re going to want to watch and listen for any indications that your system is developing a problem. One of the easiest ways to identify a furnace problem is to listen for any strange noises. Read on for some more info on some of the furnace noises you should listen for, and what they indicate.
Booming
If your furnace sounds like a cannon being fired when it turns on, it probably means that you have a problem with your burner assembly. The burner assembly is the part of your furnace that burns natural gas in order to generate heat. Over time, carbon particles from the natural gas will build up on the burner assembly. If the assembly isn’t cleaned off often enough, it will eventually become so clogged with carbon deposits that it fires late. When this happens, the burner assembly burns through all the excess gas that has built up since the system turned on. This is what causes the loud booming sound. Having a professional clean off your burner assembly should solve the problem.
Grinding
The air handler is the part of your furnace that is responsible for circulating air throughout the house during operation. The air handler motor turns the fan to circulate the air, which generates a lot of friction on the system. In order to compensate for this problem, the motor is equipped with a number of oiled bearings which help it to operate more smoothly. Over time, these bearings will wear out. This causes the friction on the system to increase, generating a loud grinding sound. If you hear this sound, call for repairs immediately. The bearings must be replaced before the motor burns itself out.
Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling offers furnace repair services throughout New Hope, PA.