Most of the time you don’t even pay attention to your air conditioner, except to think about how grateful you are to have it. You most likely don’t even think about it much when you turn the temp up or down. It’s only when it starts to have problems that you worry much about your air conditioner.
If your AC unit goes from running quietly in the background to being the center of attention when it comes to noise from household appliances, it’s time to have it looked at. While there are a few different sounds that are normal to hear from an air conditioner, there are also serious noises to pay attention to.
Here are a few of those noises and what they may indicate is wrong with your AC unit.
Hissing
There’s a certain amount of noise that comes from air moving through the system. A light whooshing noise can be part of normal operational sounds, but a louder more pronounced hissing could be a problem with the air conditioner system. It’s like the sound you hear when air escapes from a punctured tire.
There’s a lot of tubing in the air conditioner system where refrigerant runs through to cool the air. The tubing can leak or crack, and then it hisses. You might hear gurgling along with it.
Screeching
Any high-pitched screeching noise is not something you want to ignore. Pay attention to when the noise occurs. It may happen either until the unit has a chance to warm up or the entire time it’s running.
Let an HVAC tech know your observations, and they can help you figure out if it’s a compressor or a fan motor. The bearings inside can wear out and cause friction, which makes the shriek or whine you hear.
Buzzing
This noise can be a big electrical problem, like wires that are old and frayed or loose junctions. If you continue running your AC unit when there’s a problem with an electrical circuit, you could cause an electrical fire, one of the biggest causes of fires in the U.S. today.
Buzzing might also mean your condenser fan isn’t moving because debris is stuck in it. One other possibility is a frozen system, which is easy to fix. Turn off the unite for a little while and allow it to thaw.
Rattling
If you hear a rattling noise, you first need to check that it isn’t because of something small. Loose doors or parts that don’t affect the machine’s operation can cause a rattling noise, and they aren’t a major concern, other than the annoyance or possibility of less energy efficiency.
After you check all those small things, if you don’t find any minor problems, then it’s time to worry about more major possibilities like loose parts inside the air conditioner or the ductwork. You may also have fan blades that are bent or knocking around loose components. A rattling type of noise can definitely be a reason to call the experts for help with a serious air conditioner issue.
Staying Cool with Your Air Conditioner
Knowing when to call a repairman for your air conditioner is half the battle. With the descriptions above, you don’t have to wonder anymore if a screech, whine, or rattle means you need a professional to help.
If you find that you do need a professional, feel free to reach out to us at Best Air and Heat LLC for any AC repair needs.
