It can, admittedly, be pretty easy to ignore some of the sounds that come from the systems and appliances throughout your home. You may even deny that anything is wrong, since fixing it can be an expensive hassle. However, there are some noises that simply shouldn’t be ignored. Like a rattle coming from your heater, for example–it could be nothing more than a loose panel on the cabinet, but alternatively it could be that you have a cracked heat exchanger, which could lead to a carbon monoxide leak.
Here at Comfort First, we understand how important it is to protect yourself and your family. So if you hear any suspicious sounds coming from your heater, please don’t hesitate to schedule an inspection and potential repairs with our team. Read on as we uncover some of the sounds you don’t want to hear from your heater.
Screeching
A loud screeching sound is most often a sign that the blower motor of the heater isn’t working as it should. A malfunctioning blower motor means that the heat being produced won’t have a way to circulate throughout your living space successfully.
This might be a minor repair for our team–typically it means that the blower motor is in need of lubrication. But if you ignore the noise and let it continue, then what can happen is that the motor will overheat and the furnace will shut down completely.
Clanking
If you hear something that resembles metal-on-metal, you probably are hearing metal-on-metal, and this can be the sign of a really serious problem with your heater, such as an issue with the blower wheel. If you hear this, you should turn off your heating system and call on our pros right away to prevent further damage. More damage to the heater means more damage to your budget.
Banging or Booming
Generally speaking, a bang or boom when your gas-powered furnace starts up is a sign of a dirty burner. This might sound like a benign problem, but it can become dangerous. The sound you’re hearing is created by a delay in ignition due to dirt and buildup. The gas builds up, and when it ignites, a small exploding occurs inside the furnace.
Cleaning furnace burners yourself isn’t recommended. There is too much room for error, and you don’t want to wind up spending more money in the long run. It’s always a safer idea to call in a pro, particularly when you’re dealing with natural gas.
Rattling
Rattling doesn’t seem like a very threatening sound, right? Well, it might not be, but on the other hand, it could be something serious. It could be, like we mentioned above, a cracked heat exchanger making the noise. If this is the case, it could allow combustion gases–namely carbon monoxide (CO)– to enter your indoor air. This is definitely something you want to avoid, so if you hear rattling please give us a call right away.
Contact us for reliable heating repair in Joliet, IL. Comfort First Heating and Cooling, Inc., where we put your comfort first!