You might spend time online looking up sounds that are concerning when they come from your heater. But one step in knowing what isn’t normal to hear is knowing what sounds are completely normal when they come from your heater. After all, your heater is not completely silent as it operates to keep your home warm.
The question is which sounds should you hear from your heater, and which sounds are a red flag? If you hear any of the sounds that we are outlining below, your heater is probably working completely normally. But if you hear any other sounds, especially ones that are loud or obnoxious, then it may be time to schedule heating services in Bensalem, PA. Keep reading to learn more about the sounds that your heater makes as a normal part of operation.
Chirping Sounds
If you hear chirping sounds come from your heater, this has to do with the mechanics inside the unit. However, chirping sounds should not happen frequently. The sound is most common when the heating season begins and you turn your furnace on for the first time in a while.
You usually have to give your furnace a chance to heat up before the chirping sound goes away. If it doesn’t, that is an indication that one of your fan belts needs to be replaced or that your heater needs some other type of routine maintenance to get it ready for the next season.
Creaking Sounds
Your heater has a variety of metal parts, and some of them are made of very thin pieces of sheet metal. When your heater turns off and these components cool down, they may creak as they contract from the temperature changes. Creaking is most common when it comes from your ductwork, but other components can also make the sound.
Humming Sounds
Humming is completely normal to hear when your heater ignites and turns on. The blower motor turns very quickly and can produce a humming sound once it speeds up. However, if your heater is running and the humming sound is replaced by something else like buzzing or grinding, that’s a sign that something is wrong. The motor may not have enough lubrication, or it may be failing due to some other problem.
Pinging Sounds
We already talked about metal contracting as your heater cools down. Metal can also expand when your heater is warming up. If this expanding and contracting metal comes into contact with your ductwork, it can make a pinging sound. It’s a very distinct noise because it is metal on metal. Keep in mind that while the sound is normal, you should not hear it constantly or even frequently.
Contact Dowd Mechanical Heating & Air Conditioning for all of your heating needs. A Degree Above the Rest.
