As your heating system starts to get to work at the end of the year, it’s a good idea to pay attention to it in case there are any early warning signs that something is wrong. If you had heating maintenance done this fall, you shouldn’t encounter any problems. But there is no maintenance method that can prevent all heating malfunctions, and at some point, during the year you may need to call for heater repair in Vancouver, WA.
In this post, we’re going to look at one of the most common warning signs of a heater in need of repair: odd sounds. If you’ve had your heating system for at least a year, you know what sounds to expect from it. When any of these six sounds interrupt that general white noise, you may need to call us for help.
1. Rattling
This might be a simple problem: the door to the HVAC cabinet is loose. Check that first. If the sound continues, it may point to a loose part somewhere in the blower assembly. You can’t let this continue since it can allow the part to fully break free and cause damage to the assembly.
2. Mechanical shrieking
This high-pitched noise is a warning the bearings in a motor are wearing down, which will put the motor in serious jeopardy of burning out. If you act quickly enough to have technicians on the job, they can replace the bearings and save you the expense of having the motor repaired.
3. Mechanical grinding
This is the more serious of the motor noises. It means a motor is burning out because of friction due to lack of lubrication, overheating, or worn down bearings. If you’re also detecting an acrid odor from the furnace, shut the system off at the furnace switch near the cabinet and call for repairs. The motor will probably need to be replaced.
4. Sharp clanging
This surprising noise probably means the blower fan is either bent or misaligned and is striking the casing. You’ll want this repaired right away before the fan or casing suffer more damage.
5. Clicking
Some clicking is normal at startup for both furnaces and heat pumps. But if it continues, it can point to several problems. For a heat pump, it means the compressor is hard starting or the capacitors are dying. With a furnace, the burners may be struggling to ignite. If the sound is is still apparent after the blower fan turns off, it may be a cracked heat exchanger, and that needs professional attention right away.
6. Booming
Another surprising noise, and this is one you may hear from a gas furnace. This booming is the sound of a large amount of combustion gas igniting at once, which means there is a delay in ignition. The source of the problem may be carbon build-up on the burners or a problem with the ignition system. Either one requires professional attention.
Clawson Heating & Air Conditioning is “Connecting People to Comfort.” When you need heating repair in Greater Portland, call our experts.