If your home seems to be making strange noises during the night, pay close attention. That hisssssss of the heater or clanging of the radiator might be perfectly normal, but any other strange sound could mean you need to pay attention.
First, make sure the sound is actually coming from the furnace or heating element. Other possibilities might be the hot water heater or the air conditioner. Let’s assume it’s a noise from the furnace. You hear, “wha-boom” when the heat comes on. This noise may mean the system is flexing when the pressure changes – it’s not a worrisome problem. However, it could mean a small explosion that is actually more serious and needs some attention. Your best bet: have a professional heating and air conditioning technician take a look at it.
You hear whistling in the night. Possible causes might be a dirty filter, gaps in a duct, ducts that are too small or not enough air coming through the ducts. Check the filter. If it’s clean, then it makes sense to move on to the other causes. If you suspect gaps in the duct, check out where the ducts meet the furnace close to the boiler and make sure any small holes are covered. Take the doors off the furnace area, and see if the whistling stops. If so, it could mean that your ducts are not sized properly for your furnace. Finally, if there doesn’t seem to be enough ducts to move all the warm air, then you should use a more permeable filter with bigger holes to allow more air to pass through the blower. Be sure to consult with your heating and air conditioning technician for help in selecting the right filter.
You hear a motor noise and there’s no motor nearby. It could be your water heater. If it is, you can usually get the same technician who maintains your furnace to look at your water heater. Sounds like rumbling, bubbling or boiling are not uncommon for water heaters, but they can be very annoying or troublesome if they are constant. Sometimes the noise is a result of lime formations or sediment on the tank bottom, so having the sediment removed or the tank flushed might be a solution. Installing a water softener to prevent lime build-up is another option.
If your furnace or water heater are going “bump” in the night, wake up and do something about it!
