What does a bad furnace sound like?

Many furnaces produce a dull humming sound while running. However, if your furnace produces a loud humming or buzzing sound, there could be an issue with the motor. It could also indicate there's something wrong with the fan.Usually, this noise includes a quick popping sound followed by the blower fan kicking on. Your furnace should be making a low humming sound in general while it’s running. Any other types of noises such as squealing, thumping, grinding, or rattling sounds during start-up, run time, or shut down are potential signs of a bad furnace.

When should I worry about my furnace noise?

In most cases, it is wise to call a service technician. A pinging or popping sound is most likely coming from one of the ducts and is not really something to worry about. If you hear an odd vibrating noise or whining, it may indicate a problem with your furnace and a technician really needs to check it out.

Why is my furnace so loud all of a sudden?

The simplest explanation for screeching or whistling is that your furnace air filter could be clogged with dust, hair, and dirt. That eerie screech you hear might just be air desperately trying to get through. Fortunately, you can take care of this noise issue yourself, quickly and inexpensively.

Can a furnace explode?

The short answer is yes, it is possible for your furnace to explode. But it is highly unlikely especially with the build of modern furnaces, which include high safety standards to decrease the risk of an explosion.

What does a cracked heat exchanger sound like?

If you have a crack in the heat exchanger, you are likely to hear a rattling noise as your thermostat turns on the heat. Because the heat exchanger is made out of metal, as it is heated cracks will expand/contract, and can cause rattling, popping, and/or banging noises. Presence of Carbon Monoxide.

How long do furnaces usually last?

Why does my furnace sound like a jet engine?

Furnace Sounds Like a Jet Engine If your furnace sounds like an airplane or jet engine taking off, it's usually a gas issue. Gas could be leaking from a line or valve. Or, if you hear a click before the swooshing sound, you may have a broken heat exchanger that is leaking gas.

Why does my furnace make a loud noise when it turns on?

Your ductwork expands and contracts during your furnace's heating cycles. This can sometimes create booming or banging sounds when your air handler turns on and the pressure changes inside of your ducts.

Why does my furnace sound like a freight train?

“Train” noise coming out of furnace: If too many vents are closed or covered up in your home, is one culprit for this. Just check that good airflow is occurring at several of your registers in the home.

Why does my furnace sound like an airplane taking off?

Furnace Sounds Like a Jet Engine If your furnace sounds like an airplane or jet engine taking off, it's usually a gas issue. Gas could be leaking from a line or valve. Or, if you hear a click before the swooshing sound, you may have a broken heat exchanger that is leaking gas.

Why does my furnace sound like a freight train?

“Train” noise coming out of furnace: If too many vents are closed or covered up in your home, is one culprit for this. Just check that good airflow is occurring at several of your registers in the home.

Why does my furnace sound like a jackhammer?

Once the burners are finally able to ignite, there is a larger volume of gas present, so the banging noise you hear is the sound of this gas finally igniting. If you believe your furnace suffers from dirty burners and delayed ignition, call for furnace repair right away.

How do I know if my furnace is going to explode?

Noises such as popping, groaning, banging, or rattling that aren't normally produced by the furnace suggest its components are malfunctioning. In addition to the loud noise, if the blower is frequently turning on and off and blowing cool air into your home, there is a high possibility that your furnace is not working.

Can a furnace catch fire?

Faulty parts or bad wiring can cause too high voltage or tight bearings. Tight or worn motor bearings can catch heat when dry and eventually catch fire – so bearings need to be regularly lubricated.

Why is my furnace making a boom sound?

When delayed ignition occurs, the released gas just keeps accumulating because, for whatever reason, it won't ignite. The gas will continue to collect inside the furnace until it finally makes contact with a flame. When that happens, the gas ignites in a small explosion, creating a pop, boom, or bang that you can hear.

Is it safe to run furnace with cracked heat exchanger?

Rule #1: If your Heat Exchanger has been deemed cracked by a HVAC professional you should NOT be running it. Unfortunately, some owners will attempt to run their furnace even when a cracked heat exchanger has been detected.

How much does it cost to replace a cracked heat exchanger?

The average costs for replacing your exchanger is about $1,500. However, it can cost as little as $500 or as much as $3,500. If the heat exchanger is cracked or malfunctioning before you would typically expect it, there may be another issue with your HVAC system.

Can a cracked heat exchanger cause a fire?

Even worse, a cracked heat exchanger can be a safety hazard. For instance, if natural gas is leaking from the heat exchanger, it can create a fire or explosion hazard. It can also potentially cause carbon monoxide leakage and build-up, which can be quite dangerous.

How often should a furnace be serviced?

A gas furnace should be serviced at least once a year, preferably, though, in both the spring and the fall. Annual maintenance, including a thorough examination and cleaning of the parts that commonly malfunction, like the air filter, the fan, the pilot light, and the heat exchanger, can usually prevent these problems.

When should a furnace be replaced?

How much does it cost to replace a blower motor on a furnace?

On average nationwide, a furnace blower motor replacement costs $400 to $600, including parts and labor. A single-speed blower motor costs around $450 to replace while a variable-speed motor costs $600 or more. You'll also need to budget labor, about $75 to $125 per hour.

Why does my furnace sound like a jackhammer?

Once the burners are finally able to ignite, there is a larger volume of gas present, so the banging noise you hear is the sound of this gas finally igniting. If you believe your furnace suffers from dirty burners and delayed ignition, call for furnace repair right away.

Should I be able to hear my furnace?

It's normal for your furnace to make some noise. For instance, a dull hum is to be expected. However, louder noises might spell trouble for your heating unit's components. Remember to turn off your furnace if it makes any alarming sounds and leave the repair job to a professional.

Why does my furnace sound like a helicopter?

It is a damaged valve, fan, belt, rod, thermostat, or crankshaft if you hear a clicking noise. Furthermore, a helicopter, buzzing, or rattling noise means a refrigerant leak, which is destructive for your HVAC system.

What causes a furnace to explode?

A furnace explosion is usually the result of ignition and instantaneous combustion of highly flammable gas, vapor, or dust that has accumulated in a boiler. The effect of the force from the explosion is often much greater than the boiler combustion chamber can withstand.

Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning if your furnace is off?

Technically, your system won't produce carbon monoxide if your furnace is not running. That said, your system can pull in CO from other sources in your home (your water heater or your fireplace, for example) and circulate it throughout your home, especially if you have holes in your air ducts.

Is your furnace making loud noises?

However loud or funny noises could indicate a need for heating repair. If you think the unit sounds funny, or just doesn’t seem to sound like it usually does, you’re probably right! A qualified HVAC service technician should be called out right away. When you have a furnace you are dealing with combustible gases and carbon monoxide.

Why does my furnace sound like metal scrap?

Here Are 7 Possible Causes. 1 Broken blower wheel. When your furnace blower wheel is broken, it will make your furnace sound like metal scraping against metal and will really hurt ... 2 Furnace Blower Wheel is out of balance. 3 Dirty Burners. 4 Blower Motor Bearings. 5 Air Leak. More items

Why does my furnace sound like a washing machine?

This will make your furnace sound like your washing machine when it is out of balance. This means your blower wheel is out of balance, and if not corrected right away, it will cause other problems to your entire HVAC system. Sometimes this can be caused by a piece of paper, tissue or other material getting sucked into the return air duct.

Why does my furnace squeal when I turn it on?

When you hear a high pitched squeal, or whining sound coming from your furnace the issue could very well be the bearings on your blower motor. Bearings should generally last a long time on blower motors.