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Horror Furnace: Is Your Furnace Making Scary Rattling Sounds?

30 January 2016

Lori Harris

You've probably heard a furnace making loud and ominous rattling sounds in a horror film, and now your furnace is making similar noises. You might be hearing these noises because your furnace is going out and not due to a haunted basement. The following may shed some light on the issue. 

​What Are These Disturbing Sounds?

The rattling sounds could occur for a number of reasons, including the following: 

Accommodation Rattling

This is the result of thermal shock because your basement is too cold, and the furnaces' metals accommodate by expanding. This rattling is not too loud and only happens when you first turn the furnace on.

Age-Related Rattling

You may be hearing rattling because your furnace is a little worn, and there could be some loose parts, like a cover. All you have to do is make sure that all reachable parts are sturdy (when the furnace is off) and tighten any loose area.

You might also have worn bearings or a filter that is too dirty. You can have your furnace specialist check these other areas.

Signs that Your Furnace Is Going Out

The following should help you further identify the rattling sounds if they are more serious. One thing you'll notice about a furnace that is going out is the sound will be very loud. And the rattling will only get worse when your furnace is on. This may be related to a bad motor or fan, which usually occurs when your furnace is going out.

The following are other signs that accompany a furnace that is going bad:

• The furnace might be too old, especially if it's nearing its life expectancy of 20 years for a gas furnace (electric is 10 years).
• One thing that happens when a furnace is going out is it uses up more gas or electricity to give the output you are asking for.
• You might feel uneven heat distribution throughout your home, like in the bedroom.
• Check the flame in the furnace to make sure that it is burning blue instead of yellow; the yellow flame could indicate a problem.
• Other strange noises may accompany the rattling sound, like loud pings or popping sounds.
• The furnaces' humidity control mechanism might go out at this point, meaning your home is going to feel stuffy or dry.

Now you can talk to your heating repair specialist like one from Controlled Comfort about repairing your furnace if necessary, especially now that you know a few signs to watch out for and what the sounds may reveal. 

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