What Does a Broken Furnace Sound Like, and What Should I Do About It?

If you hear odd noises from your heating unit, you may be unsure whether they indicate a serious problem, asking yourself, “What does a broken furnace sound like, and what should I do about it?” Many kinds of furnace sounds, such as banging, screeching, whistling, and rattling, can point to a serious issue. 

Learn more about what noises indicate you should seek help from expert furnace repair technicians.

Rattling and Buzzing Noises

If you hear rattling or buzzing noises, these are some of the most dangerous furnace malfunction sounds. If you’re hearing a rattle, it could indicate a cracked heat exchanger. This is a dangerous issue for a furnace because you may have carbon monoxide leaking into your home, which could cause fatalities.

If you hear these noises, stop using the furnace and call for service immediately.

Banging and Booming Noises

Booming noises may indicate dirty burners. Grime and dirt on the burners delay the furnace’s ignition process, leading to a slight gas buildup and a small explosion at ignition. If you leave the grime to continue to build up, the small explosions could become larger, potentially damaging the furnace.

As part of a maintenance program, our experts will visit your home annually and clean all the components, which should eliminate this noisy problem.

Screeching and Whistling Noises

If you hear screeching noises, they can signal problems with the furnace’s blower motor. When the blower whistles or makes a whining noise, it probably needs lubrication because the parts are moving inefficiently. Without a service call, the blower motor could seize up and stop working.

Regular visits from our maintenance technicians can prevent this problem from ever occurring. We’ll lubricate all the parts of the furnace, including the blower motor.

Belts that are starting to wear out may make whistling or screeching noises. A broken belt can cause a complete breakdown of the furnace, so you should call for service.

Some whistling noises indicate a problem with the seals on the air vents. When heated air is escaping from the vents, you may hear whistling noises near the furnace or in other areas of the home. These leaks are a big waste of energy and require service to fix.

Scraping and Grinding Noises

Scraping and grinding sounds from the furnace are nearly always signs of loose parts making contact with each other. This issue can lead to unwanted wear that causes parts to fail prematurely.

Let Us Investigate Any Furnace Noises That Are Worrying You

Rather than asking yourself, “What does a broken furnace sound like, and what should I do about it?” trust the experts at Gore Heating & A/C. Our seasoned technicians will visit your property and run through a furnace troubleshooting checklist. We’ll create an action plan for necessary repairs and provide a detailed price quote for the work.

Don’t risk a furnace failure by ignoring sounds related to common furnace issues. Call us today at (910) 485-5877, and let us investigate the sounds for you.