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Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing Blog

Listen for These Furnace Noises

The more you rely on your furnace during winter, the more you have to watch out for any problems that might crop up. One of the first warning signs you’re likely to get that something is wrong with your furnace is strange noises coming from the system. Each noise indicates a slightly different problem. Let’s take a look at some of the more common noises you’re likely to hear from your furnace that indicate something is wrong.

Grinding

The air handler is the part of your furnace that circulates air throughout the house. It’s basically a large motor with a fan attached to it. The motor generates a lot of friction while it’s running. So, to compensate, it’s outfitted with a number of lubricated bearings that help it to run smoothly. As the bearings wear down over time, the friction on the motor increases. This generates a grinding sound that can be heard during operation. If the bearings aren’t replaced, the motor will eventually burn itself out from the friction. So, call for repairs right away if you hear this sound.

Booming

If you’re using a natural gas furnace, as most people are, you may sometimes hear a deep booming sound coming from your furnace. Don’t worry, though; it’s not about to explode. That booming sound is created by carbon buildup on the burner assembly. As the burner assembly burns natural gas, carbon molecules collect on the jets. If the assembly isn’t cleaned off often enough, the buildup can become bad enough that one or more of the jets fires later than it should. When it does, it burns through all of the gas at once and makes that booming sound. Cleaning off the burner assembly should solve the problem.

If your furnace is making strange noises, call Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing. We offer furnace services throughout Potomac, MD.

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