As your furnace turns on and prepares to warm up your home, it’s common for it to produce some noise. These sounds, such as the burners igniting and the blower whirring, are all part of the usual start-up steps.

But there are a couple of approaches you can do to make your furnace quieter this winter.

1. Request Annual Furnace Maintenance

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

It can also help our pros uncover small issues that can make your furnace loud. And possibly help you prevent a meltdown on the coldest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that regular maintenance can decrease your chance of furnace breakdowns by up to 95%.

If minor furnace troubles go ignored, they may lead to trouble later on. By finding these issues sooner, our techs can get your furnace taken care of before heating season is at its peak.

And most critical, specialized cleaning and lubrication of your furnace’s moving pieces can help make it more efficient. A correctly maintained furnace could save up to 30% on your utility bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

2. Regularly Install a New Furnace’s Air Filter

Your air filter helps keep your home’s air fresh and clean. When it gets too filthy, 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 wear out faster.

Our recommendations for installing a new furnace filter:

  • Flat filter: Once a month
  • Pleated filter: Every three months

You could have to install a new filter more often if you have allergies or pets.

3. Get in Touch with Contra Costa Heating & AC When Your Furnace Is Creating Strange Noises

Some furnaces, often older ones, can make more noise than others. But if you’re detecting extremely loud or strange noises, you should call a heating and cooling company like Contra Costa Heating & AC for furnace repair in The Bay Area.

Here are a couple of noises to be looking for, how to repair them and when to call a professional.

Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise

This noise occurs more commonly with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s due to the fact they exhaust fumes dissimilarly than older furnaces, and the process can make some moisture. If your furnace is experiencing difficulties discharging this water, it might make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll need pro support for this problem, since it might be created by a blocked drain pipe or clogged drain pan.

Furnace Making Banging Noise

It’s not a positive thing when your furnace is making a banging sound. It could mean several things.

Haven’t had maintenance done recently and your furnace is producing a banging sound when starting? Its burners may be dirty. Dirty burners can stall ignition, which causes gas to accumulate in your furnace.

All that built-up gas can make a banging or booming noise when your furnace finally does ignite. But this is more than just an irritating noise, because the built-up gas is erupting within your furnace. This can break your furnace’s heat exchanger and make a dangerous carbon monoxide leak.

If you’ve neglected regular maintenance for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give Contra Costa Heating & AC a shout at 510-343-9841. Our heating professionals will get your furnace tuned up and ensure it’s operating correctly.

Your ductwork can also create banging sounds when your furnace turns on, since the metal is expanding and contracting.

We recommend first inspecting your furnace’s air filter and getting a new one if it’s dirty. Next, make sure you don’t have too many vents shut in your home, as it can make air pressure uneven.

If neither of these methods repair the issue, your ductwork might be dirty or undersized, which will be a need for assistance from a pro HVAC specialist.

Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise

If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a flag there’s electrical troubles. This is most usually seen with a sputtering blower fan motor, which will create a loud buzzing noise when your furnace begins to heat. It can also mean there’s an issue with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these problems need assistance from a skilled heating and cooling company like Contra Costa Heating & AC.

Furnace Making Knocking Noise

If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s frequently a symptom that an internal piece is breaking down. This can be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It can also be a sign that your burners need to be cleaned.

These troubles are usually uncovered during annual maintenance done by a certified HVAC tech. So, while we’re at your house performing repairs, don’t forget to inquire about requesting your maintenance appointment for next year.

Furnace Making Clicking Noise

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

At Contra Costa Heating & AC, our pros are here to help you enjoy peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than normal or producing odd sounds, contact us at 510-343-9841 to get an appointment today.