What is that Rattling Noise? Strange Furnace Sounds

What Are Those Strange Furnace Sounds?

We all have that fear, waking up in the middle of the night only to hear something very out of place. Though it’s easy for our minds to play tricks on us, chances are the noises you’re hearing are from your furnace.

When you are startled awake by a scraping, squealing, or rattling, make sure to take note of the sound. You’ll want to document it for later. These sounds are an indication that something is wrong with your furnace.

So, if you’re wondering what those strange furnace sounds are, keep reading.

Furnace Making a Squealing Noise

Your furnace should not be squealing. Plain and simple. A high pitched squeaking or squealing usually spells trouble for your furnace and furnace parts.

When you do hear a squealing noise coming from your furnace, it’s likely the noise is caused by a loose or worn belt. Just like a car motor, the furnace’s blower motor has a belt that helps power the system. Over time and with use, the belt can wear out and will need to be replaced.

Beyond the belt, there are a few other reasons for a squealing furnace. Just like the belt, the best place to look is the blower and blower motor. The motor uses ball bearings to keep alignment. Sometimes the ball bearings can come loose or start to wear down. This is when they will make a squealing noise.

Furnace Making a Clicking Noise

The other big noise complaint we hear is clicking. There are more than a few reasons you could be hearing a clicking sound coming from the furnace.

One reason your furnace may start to click is because there’s a problem with the ignition. The clicking noise comes from the furnace trying to start.

Remember the ball bearings we mentioned above? They can come loose and move around the system, making a clicking noise. The other likely culprit is that something is stuck in the fan’s rotation. When the fan repeatedly hits a piece of debris, it can make a clicking noise.

If you’re wondering why the furnace is making a rattling noise, it’s pretty simple. With enough use, things can wear out and start to fall apart. Routine maintenance is critical to keeping your system safe.

No matter what it is, a clicking noise should not be ignored. Take the time and schedule an appointment with your local HVAC company to have it checked out.

Furnace Making a Rattling Noise

Like most things in this world, a furnace needs balance to perform well. When things are not aligned, it’s safe to say they won’t work too well.

We’re looking at the blower motor again. In addition to the ball bearings mentioned above, the blower motor has balancing weights or clips attached to it. These clips make sure it stays in place.

Hopefully you’re seeing a theme here, without proper maintenance, the weights or clips can be thrown off balance. This can happen when too much dust and debris get in between the weights and the motor. When the weights are out of alignment, the blower motor can sound like a giant rattle.

Another reason you may hear rattling coming from your furnace is that a screw came loose or there’s some stray scrap metal bouncing around in your system.

And the other common reason you may hear rattling: ductwork. Sometimes, ductwork can pry itself loose and needs to be reattached. The rattling comes from ductwork that has fallen out of place.

Safe to say, no matter what the noise is, you need to call an HVAC expert when you hear anything funky coming from your vents.

To have something checked out or to simply learn more about your system, schedule an appointment with the experts at Bell Brothers today.