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What Does a Booming Furnace Indicate?

You go turn on your furnace and hear the system respond, but you aren’t getting any heat. Then, after a few minutes, you hear what sounds like a small explosion in your furnace. It’s disconcerting to hear, but it may help to know that we are familiar with this issue. Your furnace won’t explode. However, if you hear a boom coming from your furnace when you try to get it running, it does mean that you have a problem in the system that requires professional furnace service in Springfield, VA.

Booming is just one of the noises you really don’t want to hear from your furnace heater. Let’s look at why booming is bad news for your furnace and explore some other noises that mean trouble your system.

What Causes That Boom?

A gas furnace uses combustion to create heat for your home. This shouldn’t create a loud noise though. When you turn on your furnace, it should ignite the gas provided almost immediately. If you hear a boom, this means that the ignition and combustion process has been delayed, allowing gas to build up in the system. When built-up gas finally ignites, it will create that booming noise that grabs your attention.

What a Booming Furnace Can Lead To

Okay so ab boom signals a delay in the ignition process but why is an extra minute or two big deal? This is because that boom can easily lead to additional problems in the near future which can include:

  • Increased energy bills: That delay in ignition can increase your system’s energy usage which will increase your bills.
  • Reduced warmth: Over time, those delays in ignition will add up and start to undermine your ability to heat up your home.
  • Increased repair risks: A sudden large icombustion of built up gas can add to the strain on your system. This will increase the repair needs that your system may need to have done, such as repairs to its burners or even a cracked heat exchanger.
  • Reduced lifespan: Last but not least, the problem of a booming furnace can also reduce the lifespan of your system too, meaning you need a replacement much sooner than you want.

Other Noises Your Furnace Isn’t Meant to Make

Booming is a problem in your furnace. However, this isn’t the only noise that you don’t want to hear from your system. Other problematic noises that indicate repair needs include:

  • Hissing: Caused by leaks in your ducts or your heat exchanger.
  • Rattling: Caused by loose parts.
  • Screeching: Caused by a dry belt or other metal components scraping against each other.
  • Short cycling: Caused by issues in your system that lead to your furnace cutting off its heating cycle early.

When something sounds wrong with your furnace, don’t hesitate to reach out for expert service. That is what our team is here for after all. You need an expert to provide your furnace services to keep you safe and warm.

Contact McDaniel Service, Inc to schedule an appointment. Service is our middle name.

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