No matter how efficient or new your home’s furnace is, it is going to make noise. There is no such thing as a silent heater and it’s okay to near sounds during operation such as the flexing of your ducts as the temperatures change, or the rush of air through your vents.
There are, however, some noises that indicate a problem with your furnace, and require professional Oklahoma City, OK heating services to resolve. One of these noises is intermittent or consistent clicking. Keep reading to learn what could be causing this noise and why it matters.
Do You Have an Oil Furnace?
These aren’t that common in homes these days, but they’re still around, and if you have one then you should know that oil-powered furnaces produce more combustion byproducts than the more common gas-powered systems. This includes large amounts of thick smoke, of which a component called the inducer blower is responsible for clearing out, through the exhaust flue and out of your home.
This blower is similar to an air handler—which circulates air around your home. It is composed of a motor and a fan, both of which will begin making clicking noises once they’ve become too dirty or worn down. Also, is the fan gets loose due to natural wear and tear, it can cause clicking by colliding with nearby parts during operation.
Typically, this is not a harmful problem in the sense that it puts you in any danger. However, it can have a domino effect on other components of your furnace until eventually the heating system breaks down.
The Air Handler Motor
Whether you have an oil, gas, or electrically powered furnace, you have an air handler. This air handler is put under an immense amount of strain during the winter with how much air it has to circulate throughout your home. Therefore, its motor is outfitted with lubricated bearings to help the motor compensate for the stress.
As the bearings wear down, though, they can produce clicking noises or even a grinding noise. This problem is a little more serious than an inducer blower issue, since if the air handler motor bearings fail, your system can overheat and the air handler can burn out completely.
Call in the Pros
When you do hear clicking, or grinding, coming from your furnace, we don’t expect you to figure out what its source is. In fact, we recommend against it. The best thing you can do is to call in the pros to inspect your system and make sure you aren’t dealing with a serious furnace problem.
In the best case scenario, it will be something that is an easy and inexpensive fix. But as with most suspicious furnace symptoms, it’s better to be safe than sorry!
At Comfort Incorporated, we keep your family safe, healthy and comfortable–call today, service today!
