As your furnace turns on and gets ready to add warmth to your home, it’s common for it to produce some noise. These sounds, such as the burners firing up and the blower operating, are all part of the typical start-up procedures.

But there are a few approaches you can do to make your furnace run more quietly this winter.

1. Request Annual Furnace Maintenance

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

It can also help us find minor issues that can make your furnace loud. And maybe help you sidestep a malfunction on the coldest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that routine maintenance can decrease your chance of furnace repairs by up to 95%.

If small furnace problems go unnoticed, they may lead to trouble later on. By unearthing these problems sooner, our pros can get your furnace repaired before heating season is at its peak.

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

2. Regularly Change Your Furnace’s Air Filter

Your air filter helps keep your home’s air fresh and clean. When it gets too clogged, it can make your furnace turn on and off too often. Known as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to use additional energy and make it stop working faster.

Our advice for replacing your furnace filter:

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

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

3. Get in Touch with JW Brager Heating and Cooling When Your Furnace Is Making Strange Noises

Some furnaces, often older ones, may make more noise than others. But if you’re detecting very loud or weird noises, you might need to get in touch with a heating and cooling company like JW Brager Heating and Cooling for furnace repair in Mount Horeb.

Here are a couple of noises to keep an eye out for, how to fix them and when to call a professional.

Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise

This noise happens more frequently with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s because they emit fumes differently than older furnaces, and the process can make some moisture. If your furnace is experiencing difficulties discharging this water, it can make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll require professional support for this trouble, since it might be created by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.

Furnace Making Banging Noise

It’s not a good 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 starting? Its burners may be dirty. Dirty burners can delay ignition, which leads gas to accumulate within your furnace.

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

If you’ve neglected regular tune-ups for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give JW Brager Heating and Cooling a call at 608-447-0555. Our heating specialists will get your furnace tuned up and double-check it’s running correctly.

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

We recommend first checking your furnace’s air filter and installing a new one if it’s filthy. Next, double-check you don’t have too many vents sealed in your home, as it can make air pressure uneven.

If neither of these things repair the sound, your ductwork may 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 sign there’s an electrical issue. This is most often seen with a dying blower fan motor, which will produce an annoying buzzing noise when your furnace begins to heat. It could also mean there’s a problem with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these problems need help from a professional heating and cooling company like JW Brager Heating and Cooling.

Furnace Making Knocking Noise

If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s usually a symptom that an internal part is breaking down. 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 troubles are typically uncovered during regular maintenance performed by a certified HVAC pro. So, while we’re at your residence doing repairs, don’t forget to check with us about requesting your maintenance appointment for next year.

Furnace Making Clicking Noise

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

At JW Brager Heating and Cooling, our experts are here to help you enjoy peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than normal or producing strange sounds, contact us at 608-447-0555 to request an appointment now.