Unusual sounds coming from your heater can feel very alarming. You know that something is wrong with your heater – but what exactly is it? Other times you may hear quieter or less obvious sounds that don’t seem as alarming, yet they’re equally serious.
Keep reading to learn about some common heater sounds that mean you need to call and schedule an appointment for heating repair in Yakima, WA. Then give our team a call for your service to ensure that loud noises don’t cause a total heater breakdown.
Booming Sound
Any sound coming from your furnace can be dangerous, but this one in particular is concerning if you have a gas furnace. It means that the ignition process is not happening correctly, resulting in a small explosion inside the heat exchanger. These explosions are contained within the airtight unit, but they can add enough strain to crack the heat exchanger.
If this happens, you’ll have to replace your entire furnace. That’s why you need to call us the first time you hear a booming sound instead of putting off service for a later date. If we catch the problem early, we can fix it before it has a chance to leave lasting damage behind. If your heat exchanger does crack, we usually have to replace the entire furnace.
Rattling or Tapping
Rattling or tapping sound usually means that something small is loose or completely broken free inside of the system. Loose parts can rattle or tap against nearby components during operation. This happens because the heating process can create vibrations that loosen these small parts over time and then cause them to make noise once they are loose.
A general rattling sound may not seem like that big of a deal. However, if something like a bolt or screw breaks loose and then is moving around free inside of your heater, it could damage other components. For example, it could reach the blower motor and get trapped in the fan, causing the fan blades to bend or even break a portion of the blower motor so it needs to be repaired as well. All unusual sounds should be treated seriously, even if they are quiet and less obvious.
Clicking or Humming
These two sounds are indicative of difficulty with the system turning on for a heating cycle. Clicking usually means that the system is struggling to turn on. If you have a gas furnace, the clicking sound may be the igniter trying to light. If you have an electric furnace, the clicking sound may indicate the burner trying to turn on.
With a humming sound, your heater is turning on but it may be struggling to maintain that operation. The humming sound indicates strain, and your heater may even turn off early for a heating cycle instead of completing one all the way through.
If it seems like your heater is still working to warm your home up, you may be tempted to ignore this problem. However, ignoring it may lead to total system failure. Instead, we encourage you to call us early so we can fix the problem before it is too serious.
Contact ThermAll Heating & Cooling, Inc: We are “Your Home Comfort Hero!” Reach out today for heating repair in Yakima and keep your system operating at its best.