Below, we outline a few reasons why your furnace may be making strange noises.

Loud Banging When Furnace Turns On

There are a couple reasons why your furnace makes a loud banging noise every time it turns on. Including:

• Dirty furnace burners if a loud banging noise is heard every time your furnace turns on, and it takes a few seconds, or even minutes, before warm air is felt, then your furnace burners may be dirty. Accumulated dirt on the furnace burners causes gas to accumulate within your furnace before the gas ignites, causing an explosion and a banging noise to be heard.
• Expanding or contracting air ducts when your furnace turns on it sucks air from your home and blows it out through its air ducts. If your ductwork is improperly sized or fitted, you may hear a banging or popping noise when your air ducts expand or contract.

High-Pitched Squealing or Whining Noise

A high-pitched squealing or whining noise can be attributed to:

• A loose or frayed blower belt
• Shaft bearings that need oil
• A broken blower motor

If you hear a high-pitched squealing or whining noise coming from your Virginia Beach furnace, be sure to call American Mechanical ASAP to prevent any further damage and costly repairs/replacement needed for your furnace.

Scraping Noise

If a loud, scraping-type noise is heard in your forced air system, you should contact your HVAC contractor immediately to prevent further damage.

Scraping noises are caused by:

• A loose blower wheel the blower wheel in your furnace may have come loose and is now hitting the blower casing.
• A broken blower wheel a broken blower wheel requires a professional HVAC technician to repair.
• A broken motor mount if the entire motor mount is broken, the blower assembly is most likely hitting its housing.

Furnace Repair Experts in Virginia Beach

American Mechanical is a full-service heating and AC company servicing Virginia Beach and its surrounding communities. If your furnace is making strange noises and needs repair, be sure to contact us!