BRRRRRT!

We've lived in our house for about 5 and a half years now. Occasionally our furnace would make this loud noise. It sounded like a jackhammer was running inside our furnace.

This is how it happened a few years ago:

BRRRRT!

Todd: What the hell was that?
Beej: I don't know! Are they doing construction outside?
Todd: Maybe?
Beej: Probably not, it's Easter Sunday.
Todd: Good point.

BRRRRT!

Beej: There it is again! What the hell?
Todd: It sounds like it's coming from the furnace?
Beej: Really? That doesn't sound good

BRRRRRT!

Todd: Let's turn the furnace off.

BRRRRRT!

Beej: Hey, we haven't changed the filter this month. Maybe it's clogged up in there? I'll change it now.

BRRRRRT!

Todd: OK, this makes no sense. It's clearly coming from the furnace, and the furnace is off.
Beej: Let's leave it off. I really don't want this thing to blow up. I'll call a repair man tomorrow.

Of course, the noise stopped when the repair man came, "I cannot see anything wrong with it. $60 please, " said the repair man.

The noise stopped. We forgot about it.

Yesterday I was eating breakfast and watching CNN. Todd came barrelling into the room, "That furnace noise is back again?"

BRRRRT!

Sure enough. It was back.

Beej: Really? OK. The thermo is set to 61, it's 68 in here. The furnace isn't even on.
Todd: You know, the only thing we didn't check is the chimney. Maybe something's in there vibrating?
Beej: How? It's not on!
Todd: Just go outside and look at the chimney. Maybe you'll see something.

I went outside and stood on the deck. I looked up at the chimney and Todd watched me double over in laughter.

There, on top of the cap on the chimney was a woodpecker, pecking the metal cap on the chimey. He flew away when I started laughing.

Moral of the story: when something's wrong with your furnace, all you have to do is laugh and the problem will go away.