Three Steps to Make Your Furnace Quieter

As your furnace turns on and prepares to add warmth to your residence, it’s typical for it to create some noise. These sounds, including the burners igniting 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. Book Regular Furnace Maintenance

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

It can also help our professionals spot minor issues that could make your furnace annoying. And maybe help you avoid a breakdown on the chilliest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that annual maintenance can decrease your probability of furnace breakdowns by up to 95%.

If minor furnace problems go undetected, they may lead to trouble later on. By unearthing these troubles sooner, our professionals can get your furnace taken care of before heating season is underway.

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

2. Routinely Put in a New Furnace’s Air Filter

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

Our recommendations for changing your furnace filter:

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

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

3. Contact Three Rivers Heating and Cooling When Your Furnace Is Making Weird Noises

Some furnaces, especially older ones, could make more noise than others. But if you’re detecting extremely loud or strange noises, it may be time to contact a heating and cooling company like Three Rivers Heating and Cooling for furnace repair in Portland.

Here are a few noises to keep an eye out for, how to solve them and when to contact a pro.

Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise

This noise happens more frequently with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s because they exhaust fumes in another way than older furnaces, and the process can create some moisture. If your furnace is having difficulties removing this water, it may make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll need pro support for this trouble, 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 may mean several things.

Haven’t scheduled maintenance recently and your furnace is creating a banging sound when turning on? Its burners might be dirty. Dirty burners can hold up ignition, which results in gas accumulating inside your furnace.

All that accumulated gas can cause a banging or booming sound when your furnace ultimately does ignite. But this is more than only an irritating noise, because the accumulated gas is igniting within your furnace. This can damage your furnace’s heat exchanger and create a dangerous carbon monoxide leak.

If you’ve neglected regular maintenance for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give Three Rivers Heating and Cooling a shout at (503) 739-5400. Our heating pros will get your furnace tuned up and double-check it’s running correctly.

Your ductwork can also make banging sounds when your furnace switches on, because the metal is expanding and contracting.

We advise 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 shut in your home, as it can force air pressure out of balance.

If neither of these steps repair the problem, your ductwork could be dirty or undersized, which will be a need for assistance from a skilled HVAC specialist.

Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise

If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a sign there’s electrical troubles. This is most usually seen with a sputtering blower fan motor, which will produce an irritating buzzing noise when your furnace starts. It may also mean there’s an issue with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these troubles need assistance from an experienced heating and cooling company like Three Rivers Heating and Cooling.

Furnace Making Knocking Noise

If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s typically a symptom that an internal component is worn out. This could be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It can also be a symptom that your burners need to be cleaned.

These problems are typically uncovered during annual maintenance provided by a certified HVAC professional. So, while we’re at your residence performing repairs, don’t forget to ask us about scheduling your maintenance appointment for next year.

Furnace Making Clicking Noise

A clicking sound can be the result of things: worn bearings, gas valve problems or ignition problems. All these troubles need skilled assistance.

At Three Rivers Heating and Cooling, our pros are here to help you unwind in peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than normal or producing weird sounds, contact us at (503) 739-5400 to request an appointment now.