As your furnace switches on and begins to heat your house, it’s expected for it to create some noise. These sounds, like the burners firing up and the blower whirring, are all part of the normal start-up steps.

But there are a couple of steps you can do to make your furnace run more quietly this winter.

1. Schedule Yearly Furnace Maintenance

Furnace maintenance is extremely important, as it keeps your manufacturer warranty valid. This helps protect you if something huge stops working in your furnace during your warranty range.

It can also help us find minor issues that might make your furnace annoying. And possibly help you avoid a malfunction on the chilliest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can decrease your likelihood of furnace malfunctions by up to 95%.

If minor furnace troubles go undetected, they may cause trouble down the road. By discovering these issues sooner, our technicians can get your furnace repaired before heating season is underway.

And most essential, professional 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. Frequently Install a New Furnace’s Air Filter

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

Our advice for installing a new furnace filter:

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

You may have to get a new filter more often if you have allergies or pets.

3. Get in Touch with Forster Heating When Your Furnace Is Making Weird Noises

Some furnaces, especially older ones, may be noisier than others. But if you’re noticing exceedingly loud or weird noises, it may be time to call a heating and cooling company like Forster Heating for furnace repair in Auburn.

Here are a couple of noises to keep an eye out for, how to solve them and when to get in touch with a professional.

Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise

This noise happens more frequently with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s because they exhaust fumes dissimilarly than older furnaces, and the process can produce some moisture. If your furnace is having difficulties draining this water, it can make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll want experienced} support for this problem, 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 beginning? Its burners can be dirty. Dirty burners can stall ignition, which results in gas accumulating in your furnace.

All that increased gas can make a banging or booming racket when your furnace eventually} does ignite. But this is more than merely an irritating noise, since the built-up gas is exploding within your furnace. This can break your furnace’s heat exchanger and cause a life-threatening carbon monoxide leak.

If you’ve overlooked regular service for your furnace and you’re detecting this noise, give Forster Heating a ring at 530-885-8081. Our heating professionals will get your furnace tuned up and double-check it’s working correctly.

Your ductwork can also make banging sounds when your furnace starts, since the metal is expanding and contracting.

We recommend first checking your furnace’s air filter and getting a new one if it’s dirty. Next, ensure you don’t have too many vents shut in your residence, as it can force air pressure out of balance.

If neither of these methods repair the issue, your ductwork could be dirty or undersized, which will require assistance from a skilled HVAC technician.

Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise

If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a flag there’s an electrical issue. This is most usually seen with a faltering blower fan motor, which will create a loud buzzing noise when your furnace starts. It may also mean there’s a problem with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these troubles need assistance from a skilled heating and cooling company like Forster Heating.

Furnace Making Knocking Noise

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

These troubles are often uncovered during yearly maintenance done by a certified HVAC pro. So, while we’re at your house performing repairs, don’t forget to check with us about requesting your maintenance appointment for next year.

Furnace Making Clicking Noise

A clicking sound might be the result of troubles: worn bearings, gas valve issues or ignition troubles. All these problems need specialized support.

At Forster Heating, our pros are here to help you enjoy peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it usually is or producing weird sounds, contact us at 530-885-8081 to book an appointment right away.