As your furnace turns on and prepares to add warmth to your house, it’s common for it to produce some noise. These sounds, including the burners igniting and the blower running, are all part of the normal start-up procedures.

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

1. Schedule Yearly Furnace Maintenance

Furnace maintenance is highly important, since it keeps your manufacturer warranty ongoing. This helps protect you if something huge stops working in your furnace during your warranty range.

It can also help us uncover small issues that might make your furnace annoying. And maybe help you prevent a breakdown on the coldest day of the year. The Indoor Air Quality Association reports that annual maintenance can reduce your probability of furnace breakdowns by up to 95%.

If small furnace troubles go undetected, they may lead to trouble down the road. By unearthing these problems sooner, our pros can get your furnace taken care of before heating season begins.

And most important, professional 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 heating costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

2. Routinely Replace Your Furnace’s Air Filter

Your air filter helps keep your residence’s air fresh and clean. When it becomes too dirty, it can make your furnace turn on and off too frequently. Known as short cycling, this can cause your furnace to consume additional gas and make it break down faster.

Our recommendations for changing your furnace filter:

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

You could have to change your filter more often if you have allergies or pets.

3. Call H&C Heating and Cooling When Your Furnace Is Making Odd Noises

Some furnaces, particularly older ones, could make more noise than others. But if you’re noticing exceedingly loud or strange noises, you might need to contact a heating and cooling company like H&C Heating and Cooling for furnace repair in Laurel.

Here are a few noises to keep an eye out for, how to take care of them and when to contact a professional.

Furnace Making Gurgling or Bubbling Noise

This noise happens more frequently with high-efficiency furnaces. That’s since they discharge fumes dissimilarly than older furnaces, and the process can create some moisture. If your furnace is experiencing difficulties removing this water, it might make gurgling or bubbling sounds. You’ll require pro} 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 can mean a couple of things.

Haven’t scheduled maintenance recently and your furnace is creating a banging sound when starting? Its burners may be dirty. Dirty burners can stall ignition, which results in gas accumulating in your furnace.

All that accumulated gas can create a banging or booming sound when your furnace eventually} does ignite. But this is more than merely an irritating noise, as the built-up gas is erupting within your furnace. This can break your furnace’s heat exchanger and cause a deadly carbon monoxide leak.

If you’ve forgotten regular maintenance for your furnace and you’re noticing this noise, give H&C Heating and Cooling a ring at 301-960-3247. Our heating specialists will get your furnace tuned up and ensure it’s working correctly.

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

We advise first looking at your furnace’s air filter and replacing it if it’s dirty. Next, ensure you don’t have too many vents shut in your house, as it can make air pressure uneven.

If neither of these things repair the sound, your ductwork could be dirty or undersized, which will be a need for assistance from a professional HVAC technician.

Furnace Making Humming or Buzzing Noise

If your furnace is buzzing or humming, it’s a symptom there’s electrical troubles. This is most often seen with a sputtering blower fan motor, which will create an annoying buzzing noise when your furnace turns on. It may also mean there’s a problem with the capacitor or transformer. All three of these troubles need support from a skilled heating and cooling company like H&C Heating and Cooling.

Furnace Making Knocking Noise

If your furnace is making knocking sounds, it’s usually a symptom that an internal component is worn out. This might be anything from a bearing to a belt or the gas valve. It might also be a sign that your burners are dirty.

These troubles are usually uncovered during annual maintenance performed by a certified HVAC pro. So, while we’re at your house working on repairs, don’t forget to ask us about booking your maintenance appointment for the future.

Furnace Making Clicking Noise

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

At H&C Heating and Cooling, our professionals are here to help you relax in peaceful, energy-efficient comfort. If your furnace is louder than it usually is or producing strange sounds, contact us at 301-960-3247 to get an appointment right away.