A furnace is usually installed in the basement or in the attic of a house to keep the temperature of a room at a comfortable level. Furnaces are used to heat a house. The heat generated by a furnace is circulated throughout the house to make the interior warm.
A noisy furnace room in your house can be a major distraction and a source of discomfort for you and your family.
If you were bothered by the noisy furnace room of your house till now, now you don’t have to worry because in this article I’ve mentioned some latest ideas and we are going to utilize newly available tools in 2023 to reduce the noise coming out from your furnace room and disturb your daily life.
So without further ado, let’s dive into some step-by-step methods to soundproof the furnace room of your home.
Table of Contents
How To Soundproof Your Home’s Furnace Room [Some Self-Applied Working Steps]
Here are step-by-step guides to soundproofing the noisy furnace room of your home.
Step 1: Identify The Nature Of Noise Coming Out From The Furnace Room
Before starting soundproofing, you need to identify the cause of the noise. There are two types of noises you hear coming out from the furnace room.
- The noise generates due to some faults in the furnace system.
- The normal noise requires soundproofing.
The Noise Generates Due To Some Fault In The Furnace System
If there is some fault in your furnace system then you will hear some abnormal noises coming from the furnace room. Some noises require the furnace’s expert attention.
I’ve listed some creepy noises that coming from your furnace room which indicate that your furnace system has some technical problems which need the immediate attention of a qualified technician:
1. Bang Noise:
Bang noise is generated due to the collision of two components of your furnace system and they could be a motor, loose screws, etc.
2. The whistling sound:
The loose hose of your furnace system makes a whistling noise. This hose is present in the air intake and outtake system.
3. Whooshing Noise:
The whooshing noise is related to the burner of your furnace system. It has some faults that make a whooshing noise.
4. Grinding Noise:
The grinding noise is generated because some moving parts may be rubbed with the surrounding surface. Fan blower blades may be rubbed with the surrounding surface which causes a grinding noise in your furnace.
5. Truck Idling Noise:
The most common cause of such noise is worn-out motor bearings.
6. Noise Produce By Draft Inducer:
Draft inducer motor bearing may wear out and create annoying noise. Wear out inducer motor needs replacement to get rid of those annoying noises.
7. The Noise Due To Belt Drive Motor:
The belt drive motor has a belt that creates an annoying noise if its belt is worn down. Other possible reasons for such noise are loose belts and misaligned or slipped belts.
8. Clicking Noise:
Your furnace system creates a clicking noise if there is some problem with its electric ignition system.
All of the above-mentioned noises are generated by your furnace system when there is some fault in the respective components mentioned above. You have to listen to the noise and inspect that part of the system that creates noise also check the intensity of the noise by using a sound meter.
Also Read: A Detailed Guide To Soundproof Furnace Closet
Step 2: Soundproof Your Furnace
There are various parts of the furnace which make noise, you can not totally stop them but can minimize the intensity of those noises to some extent.
A furnace blower makes a lot of noise which you can minimize by using a soundproof and heat-resistant material. Some soundproof materials also come with a cleaning effect.
Step 3: Soundproof The Furnace Room Wall
The next thing to do is to soundproof the Furnace room wall. Walls without proper insulation material can not prevent the inside noise from coming out.
You can seal the furnace wall and prevent the unwanted annoying noise coming from the furnace room by following these steps:
Use Some Good Quality Soundproofing Materials
Use some good quality dense materials to soundproof your furnace room which are listed below:
1. Mineral wool:
This is made of rock wool and is one of the best materials for soundproofing. You can use it for soundproofing your furnace room because it is weather and fire-resistant, and it has low maintenance costs.
2. Fiberglass Insulation:
Fiberglass insulation is the other best option to get rid of those disturbing noises coming from the furnace room. It consists of very small particles of glass and stops the heat, cold, and annoying sound effects.
3. Foam Insulation Board:
You can also use spray foam or a foam insulation board to soundproof your furnace room. This is not a perfect soundproofing solution but you will find it better in some ways.
Seal Those Ugly Wall Cracks
This is another way to stop the noise penetration from the furnace room to your living area. No matter how small a wall crack is, you have to seal all of them.
Also Read: Gap Between Slab And Foundation Wall[Solved]
Thicken The Furnace Room Wall If Possible
If the thickness of the furnace room wall is thin, then you can make it thick by adding an extra layer of drywall. Multiple layers prevent the intensity of the noise and help to reduce the noise very effectively.
Step 4 Soundproof The Furnace Room Ceiling
After soundproofing the furnace, and furnace wall, it’s time to soundproof the ceiling. Before you can begin to soundproof the ceiling, you need to measure the space. You’ll need to know how much insulation you’ll need. You can use a tape measure to do this.
You can hang some good insulation materials by using spring, this way your ceiling remains safe from any damage and you can soundproof it effectively.
You can use these insulation materials to soundproof your furnace room ceiling:
- Rock wool
- Fiberglass insulation
- Acoustic panel
- Foam panel
Make sure to fill the gap between the ceiling and insulation by doing caulking or using expansion foam.
Also Read: How To Install Ceiling Speakers With No Attic: Easiest Ways
Step 5: Soundproof The Furnace Room Doors And Windows
Now it’s time to soundproof the furnace room doors and windows. Inspect all the gaps in the doors and windows and try to seal them properly to ensure the noise won’t escape the furnace room.
You can use some good-quality soundproofing curtains and blankets to cover the gaps in doors and windows. You can also use some soundproofing mats for this purpose. Just cut them according to the size of the door and windows and install them properly.
Other good options are using weather stripping or tight-fitting door sweeps to seal the doors and windows gaps.
Even after doing all this some small cracks and gaps will remain. You can seal them by using a caulking gun.
Also Read: How To Soundproof A Mechanical Room [3 Effective Ways]
Step 6: Soundproof The Furnace Floor
There are many ways to soundproof the floor in your furnace room. You can use acoustic tile, acoustic ceiling tiles, or acoustic underlayment.
An acoustic tile is an attractive way to soundproof the floor of a furnace room. It will also help keep noise from traveling up into the house. It is a great solution if you want to save on money but still soundproof the floor.
Acoustic underlayment is another good way to soundproof the floor in a furnace room. You have to apply this first if you are planning to lay the carpet over the furnace floor.
Step 7: How To Reduce Return Air Noise Coming From The Furnace Room
If you are facing the return air noise coming from the furnace room this is really frustrating and you have to fix this as soon as possible.
To fix this issue you have to cover the ductwork with some kind of soundproofing legging items. I personally like the performance of the Reflectix Spiral Duct Wrap (View On Amazon). This is really an effective soundproofing wrap.
The other thing you have to do is line the inner walls of your furnace room with a good soundproofing curtain system.
Step 8: Good To Have Some Furniture In Your Furnace Room
Having furniture in the furnace room can make a big difference in soundproofing. You can put some old furniture in the furnace room. Here, you should keep in mind that avoid putting vibrating stuff inside the furnace room.
Conclusion
Soundproofing requires a little bit of knowledge about the different materials, and the physical properties of the room that you want soundproof.
The annoying noise generated in your furnace room has many different reasons. Some are related to the fault in the furnace system which causes some annoying noise. All the possible solutions to such a type of noise are given in this article.
One of the most important things that you can do to ensure that your furnace runs smoothly is to have it serviced regularly.
I’ve also covered all the possible soundproof ideas that significantly help to minimize the disturbing noise coming from the furnace room.
FAQ( How To Soundproof The Furnace Room)
Q.1 Can you soundproof the furnace room?
Ans: Yes, you can. You can easily soundproof your furnace room by following all the steps mentioned in this article. I’ve also mentioned some technical solutions related to your furnace system that also help to reduce unwanted creepy noises coming from your furnace room.
Q.2 What is the cost of soundproofing the furnace room?
Ans: Depending on the size and features of your furnace room, it could cost anywhere from $200 to $2,000 to soundproof it. This is an important expense for a homeowner and businesses that are looking to maintain a noise-free environment in their for their family and their workplace.
Q.3 Do I need to hire a professional to soundproof the furnace room?
Ans: No, you do not need to hire a professional to soundproof the furnace room. You can easily soundproof your furnace room by following the simple instructions and step-by-step- guide given in this article, however, if you are uncomfortable doing this whole stuff on your own, it may be worth hiring someone to assess and address the issue. This will likely involve installing acoustic shells or panels around these units in order to minimize noise and improve indoor air quality.
Q.4 Can you put a curtain around the furnace?
Ans: While it’s not 100% necessary, putting a curtain around the furnace can help to keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
This is due to two main reasons:
1) The heat from the furnace escapes through the curtain and travels into your home slowly.
2) The curtains create an insulating barrier between yourself and the outside environment.
In addition, this safety measure can prevent accidental fires caused by sparks flying off of metal items that are close to or touching a fire.