An explosion probably means the burners inside the furnace are dirty, making it hard for them to light. Low-Pitched Loud Rumbling. The furnace ran OK for all of two years, and now: every time the thermostat calls for heat, there's this rumbling / vibrating noise. 1. Another reason for a noisy furnace is if the ducts are rapidly contracting and expanding. The motor for the blower makes noise as it works to spin the fins, which get air moving. Last but certainly not least on our list of problematic furnace noises is humming. This usually means dirty gas burners or a pilot light that needs to be adjusted. The blower is the part that's responsible for pulling air into the furnace to be heated, and pushing warm air back into your home. Dirt build-up - If too much dust and debris gets inside your furnace (often because of problems with your air filter), it can damage moving parts and make the operation of your furnace noisier overall. You should do this anyway to ensure no air, or whistling noise is escaping from them. In our most recent blog, the technicians at KS Services discuss what a loud, rumbling . Banging Sometimes, furnaces also create a banging noise. The fan in the motor pushes air through your ductwork, causing a lot of noise. Fixes include cleaning the furnace, screwing the panels back into place, and replacing the heat exchanger. If your furnace is making a clicking noise, it usually means there's an issue with the ignition system. The following problems cause the blower to make a grinding noise: The blower wheel is broken or loose, which causes it to hit the side of its housing. Have the usual suspects for rattling sounds inspected with a careful eye on the heat exchanger. The hum may also result from dirt and debris getting inside the unit and . If you hear a rattling noise A rattling noise could mean that fasteners to the metal housing of your heating unit have worked loose. The blockage can cause difficulties for air to reach the burner, causing a rattling or rumbling noise. A furnace is makinga loud rumbling noise if the burners or pilot light are dirty, there's debris on the draft inducer motor, the panels are loose, or there's a crack in the heat exchanger. Stop the rumbling noise by cleaning the gas burners and inducer motor, replacing or fixing the pilot light and heat exchanger, and tightening loose panels. In either case, a furnace tune-up is the best solution. Translation: Your furnace making noise that sounds like a low-pitched rumbling or growling can be the result of a pilot light that needs to be adjusted. If your furnace is making any loud banging, scratching, whistling, or screeching noises, it's likely due to a major issue in the system. This may be a cause for alarm if it is happening often or is louder than usual. A loud furnace can be terrifying. Many modern furnaces are installed in people's kitchens, and you wouldn't know it was there until you opened the press and saw the unit. Humming or Buzzing Sounds. November 07, 2014. Furnace Banging. Even if the blast is small and doesn't seem to be breaking anything, eventually it could cause . If your furnace starts making a rumbling sound, call a furnace contractor immediately to prevent the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. How to Troubleshoot a Humming Furnace Step 1 Turn off the furnace blower motor and let it cool. The noise gets far worse when you skip regular maintenance. The ignition system or pilot light should ignite the gas right away. Low-Pitched Loud Rumbling The most common reason for a furnace making a loud rumbling noise is a dirty burner, where soot or dirt buildup is blocking airflow to the burner. Some weeks ago I started to hear a rumbling noise when the furnace kicks on--again, first stage, it's not the blower. Metal air chambers such as your furnace plenum and . Ducts often expand near where the hot air comes from the furnace, especially if there's excessive positive pressure. The blower motor, a key component of your HVAC system, is responsible for directing the heat generated by the furnace into the home. Poorly lubricated blower motor: Most of the noise you hear from a furnace's usual operation is simply the blower motor. Rumbling. Chirping. Air Leak. There are two possible causes of the noise: Delayed gas ignition. Types of noises such as scraping, banging, whistling, and popping may be a sign of a loose part, cracked heat exchanger, or dirty gas burners. A rumble sound normally indicates a furnace that hasn't been maintained in a while. If you hear a loud or long rumbling noise coming from your gas or oil furnace, turn off your equipment and call for service. If you hear a loud bang from the furnace when it kicks on, it could be because of an issue with ignition. This usually means dirty gas burners or a pilot light that needs to be adjusted. In our most recent blog, the technicians at KS Services discuss what a loud, rumbling . The blower in your furnace is powered by a motor, which has bearings that can wear out because of age or overheating. This happens when the furnace burner is initially lit. A rattling furnace is never a fun sound to hear. A humming noise can also be because of a furnace that is poorly maintained or needs a new filter. The most common cause of a cracked heat . Causes for a Furnace Making Noise. There are two primary causes of these fans not working properly, both of which lead to rumbling sounds. There's a difference between rattling, banging, and rumbling. A low humming noise coming from your furnace isn't a cause for alarm. Rattling. Our expert technicians are here for you Schedule Online Today. The rumbling sounds a bit like the noise my fridge fan makes when its a little off . If the humming noise gets louder the closer you get to the boiler, start looking for: Loose brackets. A humming noise could mean your furnace has electrical issues. Step 2 Lubricate and restart the motor according to the steps mentioned above. Again, your system is cooling down. The second cause is when the motor gets loose. We'll explain these 2 in more detail and what needs to be done to solve them. Explosions inside your furnace should not be ignored! The Fix. Without lubrication, your fan and motor will make very loud screeching or rattling noises. Often, noise from the blower motor is a result of insufficient lubrication. This is the sound of air ducts moving and expanding. In most cases, a cracked heat exchanger will emit a rattling sound when the furnace first cycles on and is warming up. A loose exterior panel will usually make a rattling or banging noise but may rumble if it is only slightly loose. Having dirty burners in your furnace can cause a delay in ignition. This is especially likely if your furnace hasn't been serviced recently. A furnace makes a banging noise when it shuts off if the ductwork is dirty or clogged. The sound you hear is usually escaping air from one of the leaks. That's not usually a serious issue, and those fasteners can be easily tightened. Last year it started making a slight whining noise that was audible during the very first stage, before the blower motor started. Unless your HVAC system is new, this is usually a result of deteriorating ductwork and poor connections to the main ducting trunkline. Many furnaces produce a dull humming sound while running. A loud hum from your furnace could be any number of issues, the most common of which would be a problem with the motor. The first is when the draft inducer fan gets dirty, which naturally happens as it moves the exhaust gases. The ignition system is responsible for creating combustion, which is how your furnace creates heat. 6. One common cause of a loud bang, or boom, is a dirty burner in your furnace. The sound of a loud "pop" coming from the furnace could be a sign that the furnace is igniting too much gas in the combustion chamber. It could also be from a lack of lubrication inside the motor. Common electrical problems that cause a loud buzzing sound include: A failed blower motor capacitor An aging blower motor A broken transformer Solution: Contract a furnace technician to inspect your system and repair any faulty electrical components. Temperature changes, dirty fan blowers, and a loose actuator can cause your furnace to make banging noises. This also happens naturally as the fan motor runs due to the vibration it creates. One of the components of furnace exhaust is carbon monoxide, so a crack can lead to carbon monoxide exposure and poisoning. But sometimes this can happen when a motor is about to fail. Soot buildup can cause your burner to get blocked. Noise #1: Clicking. The noise created. This article will explain all the possible causes . However, it may produce a low rumbling sound in some cases. A rumbling noise from your furnace isn't necessarily a sign of a dangerous problem, but it can be. Contraction and Expansion of Air Ducts. The sound of a loud "pop" coming from the furnace could be a sign that the furnace is igniting too much gas in the combustion chamber. Basically, what you're hearing is a (small) explosion inside of the furnace. A furnace making a loud rumbling noise is something you do not want to ignore. As a last resort you can remove the boot (the part at the end of the duct that gets the air into each room) and cut the pipe shorter by about 1/2 - 3/4. Furnace Making Booming Sounds. As just mentioned, many different parts could be responsible for a furnace that is noisier than normal. 7. Your furnace is making a rumbling noise because it's dirty, there are loose panels, or you have a faulty heat exchanger or pilot light. If not, continue to the next step. The motor bearings are worn out. New noises, especially those loud enough to be disruptive, should never be ignored. A furnace is makinga loud rumbling noise if the burners or pilot light are dirty, there's debris on the draft inducer motor, the panels are loose, or there's a crack in the heat exchanger. I've isolated it to the cowl that covers the draft inducer motor. When a furnace gets the signal from the thermostat to begin a cycle, the gas valve opens. In most cases, the root cause of this issue is a defective gas valve or dirty burners. Share Improve this answer answered Jan 15, 2013 at 18:48 alt A rumble sound normally indicates a furnace that hasn't been maintained in a while. They can see what is causing the loud banging noise problem and recommend a solution. A dirty gas burner, for example, will make a low rumbling noise, while under-lubricated ball bearings will create a high-pitched squeal. Fixes include cleaning the furnace, screwing the panels back into place . Make sure you re-tape all joints. Popping Sounds. A furnace that makes loud rumbling noises is a cause for concern among Birmingham area homeowners - as is any unexpected, new noise from your home's heating equipment! Modern furnaces are designed to run extremely quietly. The most common reason for a furnace making a loud rumbling noise is a dirty burner, where soot or dirt buildup is blocking airflow to the burner. Especially if it was working just fine and then suddenly started to kick off with a loud bang. It would be wise to contact your technician to further inspect and repair furnace or any electrical component within the furnace that would cause this. It is also the most common source of humming and buzzing noises. A furnace can make a humming or buzzing noise for several reasons. The Furnace Makes Loud Noise When Turning On. Low Humming. If the furnace can't ignite for some reason, then you may hear a clicking noise as the igniter struggles to light. Clogged ducts or a dirty air filter cause hot air to back up which increases the pressure within the system. When your furnace is producing a loud noise, give our team of licensed technicians a call by phone at (703) 543-9649 to schedule an appointment. Your furnace is making a rumbling noise because it's dirty, there are loose panels, or you have a faulty heat exchanger or pilot light. If your furnace breaks in the first year, we will travel to your home to repair it for free. You can use duct tape or foil tape. The problem may be as a result of either a blower motor capacitor that has failed and is old or a transformer that's broken. A furnace that makes loud rumbling noises is a cause for concern among Birmingham area homeowners - as is any unexpected, new noise from your home's heating equipment! New noises, especially those loud enough to be disruptive, should never be ignored. Motor problems could be from dirt or debris getting inside the unit, often when filters are not cleaned regularly. When the gas finally builds up enough the spark will finally ignite all that built up fuel and cause a small explosion inside your furnace. Gas burners inside gas furnaces, ignite and fire as gas flows in. The main causes of this include: Delayed ignition: Delayed ignition occurs when gas is not instantly sparked to light, causing it to accumulate and build up. Another cause of a rattling or rumbling noise from the furnace is a clogged burner. A rumbling sound shouldn't be left unresolved. So the gas will build up instead of the gas igniting immediately. If your furnace is making any of these noises, it needs attention. To help you prevent a gas leak in your house, we have created a list of 7 types of loud furnace sounds and how to troubleshoot them. Humming. In my case, the only option is to put in a new inducer motor - your mileage may vary. Basically, what you're hearing is a (small) explosion inside of the furnace. If this works, you've solved your problem! If you hear a high pitched whistling sound when using your furnace, it could be that you have a leak in the air duct system. Stop the rumbling noise by cleaning the gas burners and inducer motor, replacing or fixing the pilot light and heat exchanger, and tightening loose panels. Noise #3: High-pitched squeal or whistling sound A high-pitched squeal coming from your furnace is usually the result of an issue with the blower. If it turns out that your heat exchanger is broken, replacing your furnace might be the best option if it's older. Extra gas builds up and then explodes when it does get lit. Fortunately, most of the potential issues that might be causing the rattling are benign and easy to fix. The sound will usually become worse when the fan or blower is running and subside . Banging noise is made due to an ignition delay. No problems. In most cases, the root cause of this issue is a defective gas valve or dirty burners. Step 3 Using a motor meter, check your blower motor's amperage draw. A leak in the heat exchanger can allow carbon monoxide to leak into your home. Rattling noises coming from the furnace may be caused by dusty burners or air filters, a lack of insulation, a damaged furnace belt, ducts warping or expanding, loose blower motor set-screws . Most often it's because the blower motor needs lubrication. This is a common furnace noise. This is especially likely if your furnace hasn't been serviced recently. It is important to clean your furnace . Without attention from a qualified HVAC technician, you could end up damaging both. Expansion and contraction of metal ductwork. Popping Sounds. A buzzing or loud humming noise generally means there's an electrical issue with your furnace. There's a difference between rattling, banging, and rumbling. Here's a common issue we hear from homeowners with furnaces: "Why does my gas furnace turn on with a loud BANG?". The furnace flame should be blue, which indicates a clean and efficient burn. The furnace flame should be blue, which indicates a clean and efficient burn. If the noises are coming from an area away from the unit, this is probably the issue.