Hearing weird noises when your air conditioner is on? There’s a strong probability there's something wrong with your unit. If you don't fix it, it could lead to extensive—and expensive—problems down the road. We’re going to help you understand what’s going on with your air conditioner and what you can do to correct it.
8 Common Air Conditioning Noises
- Gurgling聽– Gurgling聽normally聽indicates聽a complication聽with your refrigerant line. If you can’t聽pinpoint聽where the noise is聽emanating聽from, that’s alright.聽An expert聽can help聽determine聽where this noise is occurring.
- Crackling聽– Crackling could聽result from聽debris in the unit or aging ductwork. Debris in the outdoor unit will聽cause聽a noise outside your house.聽Old聽ductwork can聽cause聽noise inside your house.
- Hissing听&苍诲补蝉丑;听Hissing sounds coming from your AC聽can聽be created by聽a聽damaged聽refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor.
- Buzzing聽– Buzzing is聽no doubt聽an electrical issue.
- Clicking聽– Clicking can聽hint聽you have a loose part or that the fan is misaligned.
- Pulsating聽– Pulsating can聽be due to聽a loose part.
- Loud Noise聽– A聽noticeable聽noise from your聽outdoor聽unit can聽signal聽an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler.
- Humming聽– Humming can聽be related to聽fan motor issues or a聽damaged聽relay switch.聽Check out聽our聽humming noise guide聽for more information.
You can find聽additional聽information about聽frequent聽air conditioning聽problems聽on聽
Should I Keep Running My AC When It’s Making a Noise?
There are聽limited聽cases where you can continue to run your AC, but you do so at your own risk. It’s聽difficult聽to answer this question without聽inspecting聽your system.
Most of the time, we recommend聽shutting off聽the unit off and聽calling聽a professional.
When Should I Do Something About the Noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you聽recognize聽there’s聽something wrong聽with your聽system. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected聽cost, it’s聽better聽to get problems聽taken care of聽right away.聽Getting聽a professional could help聽lower聽future expenses and keep your system running longer.
Not sure if your air conditioner is making any of these noises? Please聽schedule online聽for a free, in-home consultation.