When your furnace is working correctly, it should deliver warmth without creating too much sound. While it’s expected to notice your furnace making noise as it starts up, other noises are indicating your furnace needs immediate professional support.

Here are some of the most frequent furnace noises and what they might be indicating. If your furnace is making a strange noise, our friendly heating pros are here to help with the best furnace repair in Greater Richmond, Virginia.

1. Furnace Makes a Banging Sound

You may have an urgent situation on your hands if you’re detecting your furnace making a banging noise. If your furnace is making a knocking noise, it can indicate there could be a couple of problems. These include gas building up in your furnace or a ductwork issue.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Furnace

Your heating system gets grimy as time passes, so that’s why it’s important to set annual furnace maintenance with Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. One of the things our pros do during this work is clean your furnace’s burners. When this component gets grubby, you could hear your furnace making a loud rumbling noise if ignition takes more time. The ensuing gas buildup might break your furnace’s heat exchanger, where natural gas changes into warmth. Any breaks in it can leak carbon monoxide, which is regularly vented outdoors. This dangerous gas can be lethal in large concentrations.

If you’re aware of banging or knocking sounds coming from your furnace, Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling advises turning it off and contacting us at 804-302-6657. Excessive natural gas in your furnace or a cracked heat exchanger are dangerous issues that necessitate immediate attention.

Banging Sounds Coming from Your Ductwork

Your furnace works with ductwork to deliver warm air around your home. If the ductwork wasn’t designed right or is getting old, it can make a lot of noise when your furnace runs. This may be the problem if your furnace makes a banging noise when it shuts off. Call Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling at 804-302-6657 and we’ll determine the problem.

2. Furnace Buzzes Constantly

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

Your furnace relies on an internal transformer to operate on the correct voltage. If wires or the box is loose, you could notice a low humming noise in the furnace when off. Your furnace also has a blower motor, which moves warm or cold air around your residence, and a capacitor, which turns on the motor. If either of these pieces are going out, they will buzz when the furnace switches on.

3. Furnace Making a Rattling Noise

If your furnace is making a rattling noise, it can be related to something small, like an unfastened screw, or something major, like a broken piece. In either case, we urge you to shut your furnace off and calling our heating pros at 804-302-6657 for support.

4. Furnace Is Making a High-Pitched Squealing Sound

If your furnace makes a high-pitched noise, like squealing, when it’s on, it’s attempting to tell you it could use some TLC. If you’ve skipped furnace maintenance recently, belts could be worn down or a bearing may need to be lubed. We realize that maintenance sometimes slips your mind, but our techs can get your furnace running quietly again rapidly.

5. Furnace Whistles

When you’re hearing your furnace making a whistling noise, it’s likely the result of an air leak in your ductwork. You might also notice whistling while the furnace is working if a floor vent isn’t secure. If you’ve checked your vents but are still noticing noise, Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling can help. It’s essential to get loose ductwork taken care of without delay, as it can make comfort troubles in your residence and drive up your gas expenses.

6. Furnace Makes Noise that Sounds Like Scraping Metal

It’s not a positive sign if you detect your furnace making a grinding noise. This metal-on-metal racket typically means there’s an issue with your furnace’s blower. Switch off your furnace off instantly and reach our pros at 804-302-6657 for assistance.

When you’re hearing an atypical noise from your furnace, Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling is available to help. Contact us at 804-302-6657 to request your furnace repair appointment now.