Buying an older home was the best idea you ever had for meeting your home buying budget and living in that up-and-coming neighborhood that gets you close to work. However, you knew that there would be a few quirks coming in, and everybody knows that old houses make noise when they settle. Lately though, those sounds seem to be happening only during the cold snap when your heater kicks on, and the thought of something going wrong when the temperatures are seriously low is unsettling. When you hear these three sounds, it is time to check out your furnace to determine if it is the source.
Clunking and Bumping
Earlier, you thought that your spouse had put shoes in the clothes dryer again, but you checked the laundry room and found nothing. Furnaces have belts that help keep the fan blower running. When one gets cracked, it no longer runs smoothly over the pulleys and creates this sound. If the belt is really worn or loose, you might also hear an annoying screech. Replacing the belt or tightening the tension will stop the noise and help your furnace to run more efficiently.
Grinding
This noise usually indicates that there is a problem with the bearings. Your furnace has an air handler that regulates air circulation through the ductwork, and it has lubricated ball bearings that help reduce the friction that is generated during this process. Eventually, the bearings will wear down and increase the friction on the air handler, and that weird grinding noise is actually your air handler being damaged. To save your air handler, make sure to call for furnace repair soon after your first hear this noise.
Loud Booming at Start Up
Sometimes, metal ducts may make a banging sound as they expand and contract due to temperature changes. However, a very loud boom that typically occurs just before your unit kicks on might just be dirty burners on your furnace. Clogged burners lead to delayed ignition that creates this sound when all of the gas is burned through at once. Simply making sure your burners are cleaned during its seasonal maintenance can prevent this problem. If your furnace has recently been serviced, then it could be a defective gas valve that needs to be replaced.
Adjusting to life in an older home usually takes a full year since it is necessary to go through all of the seasons. Yet, you should never be left wondering if a heavy metal band is hiding in your unit. By knowing when a random sound isn't normal, you can quickly get things repaired and get back to exploring your new neighborhood.
Share3 March 2017
The quality of the air in your home is something that you should keep in mind every day. If the air that you breathe each day is filled with impurities, it can cause you to get sick more often and complicate matters if anyone in your home suffers from asthma or allergies. This blog is all about purifying the air in your home. You will learn everything about filtration systems and filters for your heating system to what you can do around the home to keep the air as clean as possible and create a healthy living space for your family.
