Furnace Noise-Reducing Features & Technology

In this article, we will take a look at how furnace type can play a direct role in the amount of operation noise you experience, popular noise-reducing features you should look for, and which innovative technologies brands are using to differentiate themselves from the competition and make furnaces as quiet as possible.

Is your noisy, and inefficient furnace struggling to keep up with your home heating demands? Interested in upgrading but conscious of furnace operation noise? Unsure of what to look for? If you’ve answered, yes to any of the above questions you are in the right place.

Many manufacturers are paying close attention to their design to provide Canadians with a quieter home heating solution.

How Does Furnace Type Affect Noise?

Canadian consumers can purchase the following major types of furnaces: Single Stage, Two Stage, Variable Speed and Modulating propane and natural gas furnaces. The type of unit you purchase refers to the operation of the furnace.

Let’s take a look at how these different types of furnace operations stack up when it comes to furnace noise.

Modern single stage furnaces have come a long way and produce less furnace noise than the those from a few decades ago. That said, they still function in an on/off operation which means that when it turns on to hear your home, it operates at 100% output. Obviously this means increased noise, as the unit will audibly cycle on and off more frequently to maintain the temperature you’ve set on your thermostat.

Two sage and modulating gas furnaces can help reduce noise somewhat as they are able to operate at intermediate heat outputs and therefore can avoid the sounds caused by firing up, and also run at quieter levels when full-blast heating isn’t needed.

Furnaces with variable-speed blowers offer Canadian consumers an even quieter home heating solution. The blower is the component which circulates the warm air throughout your home. Variable-speed models can help with noise reduction, by running continuously at lower speeds and adjusting speed based on temperature changes within the home.

These subtle fluctuations in blower speed can also have the additional benefit of greater energy efficiency, and increased home comfort thanks to a more consistent indoor temperature, in addition to quieter operation.

Many manufacturers also utilize the sound dampening benefits of insulation to their advantage, by lining the interior of the furnace cabinet with vibration and sound-dampening materials.

4 Common Furnace Features and How They Affect Noise

The features listed below help to lower the operating noise level of your furnace so that you can enjoy a quieter home heating experience.

1. Insulated cabinet – dampens vibrations and helps seal in noise to keep it from propagating through the vents and in the area surrounding the furnace itself
2. Two-stage and variable-speed draft blowers
3. ECM motor – runs continuously, adjusting its speed from low to high as needed and in response to temperature changes. With 5 speeds, the small incremental adjustments are slight and provide you with a quieter furnace operation. Since an ECM motor runs continuously, it eliminates the loud kickback which is often heard when a furnace turns on and off at the beginning of a heating cycle in traditional Single Stage heating systems.
4. Soft-mounted blower and inducer motor – provide additional sound dampening

Noise-Reducing Technologies Used by Major Furnace Brands

The manufacturers listed below incorporate innovative technology and smart design to effectively minimize operational noise from their line up of high-efficiency natural gas furnaces.

• Bryant – QuietTech™ innovative technology is designed to reduce the operational noise of your high-efficiency natural gas furnace.
• Rheem – their patented heat exchanger design reduces airflow which acts as another noise reducing feature.
• Carrier – their trademarked Comfort Fan™ technology gives consumers the ability to control the setting of their high-efficiency furnace fan with four different settings. By allowing the high-efficiency furnace to run continuously at lower speeds noise is reduced.
• Lennox – Lennox’s SilentComfort™ technology works to minimize traditional furnace noise
• Armstrong Air – the Quiet Combustion™Technology in their economy, mid-range and premium pricing model tiers to produce quieter furnace operation in all of their natural gas furnace models.
• Luxaire – Silent Drive™Comfort System in their Acclimate™ Series LP9C model
• American Standard – Vortica II™blower

If you’re like many consumers, after price, energy and warranty, furnace noise is at the top of your list when it comes to upgrading to a high-efficiency natural gas furnace. The competition has narrowed the playing field when it comes to furnace noise.

Ultimately furnace noise-reducing features are only one of the things you should look for when buying a new furnace.

Check out our Furnace Buyer Center for everything you need to know, including in-depth articles & guides, product evaluations and more!

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