Cold weather has arrived, and you turn on your furnace for the first time in several months.
It appears to be working, but there is now a whining noise that is making you nervous (and driving you crazy).
This is a common problem that our technicians deal with frequently.
A whining (or grinding, screeching, banging) sound coming from a furnace is usually the result of a moving part beginning to fail - most often:
All furnaces being manufactured today are high-efficiency models.
Previously, mid-efficiency furnaces were available as well. Whether you have an older or newer furnace, all models possess these 2 types of motors.
The ventor motor, located in the middle of the top of the inside of the furnace, provides positive ventilation to exhaust the spent air to the outside.
If this important part does not operate, the furnace heat cycle will not start.
Attached to the ventor fan is a pressure switch which will shut the ventor fan off if the vent pipe is blocked.
For instance, deep snow may cover the opening in the vent pipe on the side of the house, thus preventing the exhaust from venting correctly.
In this case, the ventor motor would start and then shut off when the pressure in the vent pipe increases and trips the pressure switch.
The circulating blower fan motor moves the air through the duct system either in the auto setting or the constant on setting.
The circulating blower is located at the bottom of the furnace.
These electric motors may develop a noise when operating which is an indication that the unit needs service or needs to be replaced.
If the furnace has not been serviced on a regular basis, the fan blades or squirrel cage may become:
Any of the above may contribute to a noisy operation.
To determine the cause of any unusual noise coming from the furnace a trained, licensed technician should be contacted.
Contact us today to book your furnace service.
