Banging, Screeching and Rattling: What Six Familiar Furnace Noises Can Mean

When your furnace is operating correctly, it should provide warm air without making too much disruption. While it’s expected to hear your furnace making noise as it turns on, other sounds are showing your furnace requires immediate professional help.

Here are some of the most reported furnace noises and what they could mean. If your furnace is making an odd noise, our friendly heating professionals are here to assist with the best furnace repair in Portland, Oregon.

1. Furnace Makes a Banging Sound

You may have a critical problem on your hands if you’re detecting your furnace making a banging noise. If your furnace is making a knocking noise, it may indicate there could be a few problems. These involve gas increasing in your furnace or a ductwork situation.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Furnace

Your heating system gets grimy over the years, so that’s why it’s critical to book yearly furnace maintenance with Three Rivers Heating and Cooling. One of the jobs our technicians complete during this service is clean your furnace’s burners. When this piece gets dirty, you may hear your furnace making a loud rumbling noise when ignition takes more time. The ensuing gas buildup may break your furnace’s heat exchanger, where natural gas transforms into warmth. Any cracks in it can discharge carbon monoxide, which is ordinarily vented outside. This hazardous gas can be deadly in large concentrations.

If you’re noticing banging or knocking sounds coming from your furnace, Three Rivers Heating and Cooling advises turning it off and calling us at (503) 739-5400. Significant natural gas in your furnace or a ruptured heat exchanger are critical problems that should get prompt attention.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Ductwork

Your furnace uses ductwork to deliver warm air across your house. If the ductwork wasn’t designed properly or is getting dated, it can be noisy when your furnace runs. This can be the problem if your furnace makes a banging noise when it shuts off. Contact Three Rivers Heating and Cooling at (503) 739-5400 and we’ll figure out the problem.

2. Furnace Making a Buzzing Noise

If you hear your furnace making a buzzing noise, don’t delay calling us. A buzzing sound frequently is telling you there’s an electrical situation, like with its transformer, blower motor or capacitor.

Your furnace relies on an internal transformer to operate on the right voltage. If wires or the box is loose, you might detect a low humming noise in the furnace when off. Your furnace also has a blower motor, which sends heated or cold air around your residence, and a capacitor, which triggers the motor. If either of these components are going out, they will buzz when the furnace turns on.

3. Furnace Makes Rattling Sounds Like Something Is Loose

If your furnace is making a rattling noise, it may be due to something little, like an unfastened screw, or something serious, like a broken part. In either case, we advise shutting your furnace off and calling our heating pros at (503) 739-5400 for help.

4. Furnace Squeals

If your furnace makes a high-pitched noise, like squealing, when it’s running, it’s trying to tell you it requires some TLC. If you’ve forgotten furnace maintenance recently, belts could be worn down or a bearing might need to be lubricated. We are aware that maintenance often slips your mind, but our technicians can get your furnace running quietly again rapidly.

5. Furnace Makes a Whistling Sound Like Air Escaping

When you’re noticing your furnace making a whistling noise, it’s likely because of an air leak in your ductwork. You might also hear whistling while the furnace is operating if a floor vent is loose. If you’ve examined your vents but are still hearing noise, Three Rivers Heating and Cooling can assist you. It’s important to get loose ductwork fixed quickly, as it can create comfort problems in your residence and inflate your gas bills.

6. Furnace Makes Noise that Sounds Like Scraping Metal

It’s not a positive sign if you notice your furnace making a grinding noise. This metal-on-metal noise typically means there’s a problem with your furnace’s blower. Switch off your furnace off instantly and reach our professionals at (503) 739-5400 for help.

When you’re hearing an uncommon noise from your furnace, Three Rivers Heating and Cooling is here to support you. Contact us at (503) 739-5400 to request your furnace repair appointment now.