When your commercial furnace is operating normally, it should be relatively quiet other than the hum of the motor or a click when it turns on. But if it starts making strange noises you’ve never noticed before, there could be a problem that requires professional attention.
What do we mean by a strange noise?
Regardless of the age of your furnace, it can develop problems. If you hear any of the sounds below, give us a call.
Screeching
A loud screeching sound is likely a sign that the blower motor in your furnace is not working properly. A malfunctioning blower motor means the heat produced by your furnace will not be able to circulate warm air around your building successfully.
Clanking
If you hear a noise that sounds like metal-on-metal, there might be a serious problem with your furnace’s blower wheel. In this case, you should turn off your furnace and contact us immediately to prevent further damage to the wheel.
Rattling
Rattling can be a sign of worn or broken components in the motor or fan, or worse, it could mean you have a damaged heat exchanger. Lack of airflow from dirty filters or issues with your blower can lead to excess heat, which can crack the exchanger and create a carbon monoxide leak in your building.
Chirping
Chirping noises are common in a furnace that hasn’t been used in a while. If you hear chirping, and it’s the beginning of the furnace season, wait a bit. If the chirping doesn’t go away, you may need your fan belts replaced or some similar routine maintenance performed.
Clicking
Like we said earlier, clicking is normal when your furnace comes on. However, frequent clicking could mean your bearings are worn out or the inducer blowers and fan shafts are clogged. If your furnace is clicking but not turning on, you could have an issue with your flame sensor, pilot light, ignitor, or gas supply.
Don’t wait to contact us.
Your furnace is a sensitive piece of equipment, and the worst thing you can do is ignore an unfamiliar sound. Making a simple repair now could save you the cost of a major equipment replacement in the future. Contact our Service Department at (540) 982-1873 or gjhservice@gjhopkins.com if you’d like one of our skilled technicians to inspect your commercial or industrial furnace.
