When your duct work starts making noises you may have a bit of a problem. It’s not that your house is haunted or someone’s crawling around in your ductwork like a spy movie. But there are many causes for noises that can come from ductwork. In this article I’ll talk about some of the HVAC duct noises in Michigan so you can properly diagnose and repair your ductwork.
HVAC Duct Noises in Michigan Causes and Solutions
In most cases the duct work has failed at some point and the sound can be a bracket loose. It’s much easier to tell what has happened by listening to the sound of the ductwork both while it’s running and also while it’s off. You can better tell where the noise is coming from if you listen in multiple rooms and at the outside unit as well.
The High Pitched Squeaking Noise
One of the most common problems that occurs with noise is a high pitched squeaking noise that comes from the unit and you may hear the noise through the ductwork as well. If you’re investigating HVAC duct noises in Michigan then one of the most common is this high pitched squeaking noise. Most times however, this sort of noise isn’t the ductwork of the unit at all and is the result of a fan motor that is starting to fail.
The electric motors on your HVAC unit have bearings that can sometimes fail due to missing lubrication. When this happens the bearing will start to seize and during this time it will let off a high pitched squeal. As the squeal gets louder the fan motor slows down. If the fan motor on your unit is failing it will be loudest at the outside unit or if you have an air handler on the inside of your home it will also be loud there. The sound may go away for a time but will return again and again until the motor fails completely. Getting a full HVAC inspection can help finding a problem with fan motors if the bearing is failing.
The Flapping Sound in Your HVAC System
If you’ve ever heard a flapping sound coming from your ductwork then you may have a faulty register. On the bottom of most registers there is a baffle that can direct air in a specific direction. Sometimes these baffles can become loose from the adjustment level and flap around. You’ll usually hear the flapping when the unit first starts up and when it cuts off. Fixing a flapping register is as simple as replacing it with a new one. You can get home air duct registers at a local home improvement store such as Home Depot.
Clicking and Tapping From the Ductwork
Sometimes there are clicking or tapping noises that can come from the ductwork of your HVAC unit. Usually when this occurs it’s because there are loose places in the ductwork. It could be a number of things but it’s usually a sign of a duct line that has fallen or has become loose. When this happens there is usually a crack in the duct work as well causing some of the air to leak from the duct work. A situation like this will make the HVAC unit use more energy since the leaking air from the duct work is escaping. If it’s a large crack it could also cause the unit to stop heating or cooling the home. You can check in and around registers to see if they are loose or have some obstacle in them but chances are you’re going to need an HVAC technician in Michigan to make sure the duct is secure and has no leaks. Try to locate the problem area by listening to the noises and determining which room or rooms it’s coming from.
If you have a zoned HVAC system be sure to turn off areas or zones to locate the problem better. Locating the problem area is half the battle. Once you’ve found what’s making the noises then you can work to get a solution to the problem. If you can’t fully locate the problem you may need to consult with a HVAC technician.
