It's always nerve-wracking to hear strange noises coming from your furnace. Even when in great condition, furnaces aren't completely silent; it's ordinary to hear a low humming when your heating system is working. However, when you start to notice noises that you haven't heard before, that's a cause for alarm.
Clicking sounds are some of the most concerning noises that furnaces can make. Keep reading to learn what can cause a furnace to start clicking and, to be safe, we recommend calling a heating technician in the Twin Cities area to inspect your furnace if it keeps clicking.
Common Causes of Furnace Clicking Noises
That clicking noise you hear coming from your furnace is most likely the sound of the ignition flame turning on. In a working furnace, you should hear this click just once as the contained gas is lit in order to heat your home in the Twin Cities. When you hear this clicking sound repeatedly, it means that your furnace is malfunctioning. If the issue persists, it may result in a gas leak and could require furnace replacement.
Common malfunctions that cause this clicking noise in your furnace include:
- The gas valve becomes broken or clogged, causing it to stay shut. The furnace's ignitor will repeatedly click in an attempt to ignite gas that isn't there.
- The thermocouple becomes dirty and fails to detect the ignition flame. As a result, gas valves are never opened and the furnace clicks because the ignitor keeps coming on with no gas to burn.
- The ignition flame cannot be ignited due to insufficient fuel or other issues, so the ignition system clicks over and over in a failed attempt to start.
You might also hear clicking noises from your heating system if certain parts have been damaged and are malfunctioning. Damaged parts that can cause clicking noises include:
- Fan blades in your furnace can create a clicking noise if they break or malfunction because of debris build-up.
- Bearings or other components of your furnace's motor can come loose and cause clicking when it's in operation.
- If the clicking sounds seems to be coming from the ducts rather than inside the furnace itself, it's possible that duct seams have come loose and caused the clicking.
We Can Get Your Furnace Running Right
Are you ready to have your furnace repaired to stop that annoying clicking noises and prevent more serious issues? Give Airic's Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. a call today if you'd like furnace repair services in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area!