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Thread: Help. Ready to turn off one week old furnace and use electric heaters.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Help. Ready to turn off one week old furnace and use electric heaters.

    Last week we had a new Tempstar VC97 modulating gas furnace installed.

    No complaints about the installers. It is a horizontal install in a dirt crawl replacing a previous gas furnace.

    The problem is that most times after the heat cycle shuts down the heat exchanger (at least that's what we think it is) will make a pinging sound as it cools down. This will go one for about a minute and then stop. The sound is loud enough to wake you at night. Being woken 2 to 4 times a night is not healthy.

    As per the installers suggestion I have tried setting the thermostat at a high temperature for an hour in hopes that would condition the heat exchanger. It has not helped. The sound is the same as it was a week ago when we had the furnace installed. Last time the installers were by, a few days ago, the furnace wouldn't make the sound. After they left it did.

    Any suggestions on what the issue may be or how to deal with it would be greatly appreciated. I have made another call to the installers and expect to hear back from the them some time today.

    My next step is to buy a white noise machine to try and block out the noise while sleeping but I have a feeling that won't help as we can usually hear the sound over the sound of the TV. If that doesn't work my next step is to buy space heaters for keeping the house warm at night and shutting the furnace down. I know it will be expensive but a week without proper sleep is becoming problematic.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Littleton, CO
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    That furnace has a variable speed fan motor I belive. If this is true it might be your duct work expanding and contracting and not an issue with your furnace. Does it happen at start up (call for heat) or only shut down after a call for heat?
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    PA
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    Can you make a recording of the noise. if so post it here, and also play it for the service techs. Much easier if you hear the noise.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Thread Starter
    Only at shutdown.

    It's not the ductwork that's making the noise. It's coming from the heat exchanger.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Thread Starter
    Quote Originally Posted by beenthere View Post
    Can you make a recording of the noise. if so post it here, and also play it for the service techs. Much easier if you hear the noise.
    I will try to do that. Because it is so high pitched it may not get picked up by the mic but I will give it a shot.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Thread Starter
    Made a copy of the recording of the pinging. Taken beside the furnace with my phone.
    Wasn't sure how to attach the file
    You can find it here
    http://www.filefactory.com/file/485f...402-121357.mp3

    If you scroll to the bottom you can do a free download.

    In the meantime Tempstar has given instructions on how to burn in the heat exchanger at high temp in hopes that will help.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    PA
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    Never heard that noise from a furnace before.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    George Fernandez, this is the Ask Our Pro's forum, and only Pro members that have been vetted by the AOPC may post advise here. Please apply to the AOPC today, thank you.

    You can find the rules for posting and qualifications here.


    Further infractions may result in loss of posting privileges.

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