Hearing strange noises when your air conditioner is working? There's probably something wrong with your AC. If you don’t fix it, it could lead to significant—and expensive—issues eventually. We're going to help you understand what’s occurring with your air conditioner and what you can do to correct it.
8 Common Air Conditioning Noises
- Gurgling - Gurgling usually indicates an issue with your refrigerant line. If you can't pinpoint where the noise is coming from, that's alright. An expert can help verify where this noise is occurring. You can read more information on our gurgling noises guide.
- Crackling - Crackling could be due to debris in the unit or aging ductwork. Debris in the outdoor unit will cause a noise outside your house. Old ductwork can produce noise inside your house. Read our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can be created by a faulty refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Look through our hissing noise guide for more on that.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is probably an electrical issue. Check out our buzzing noise guide for additional information.
- Clicking - Clicking can hint you have a loose part or that the fan is misaligned. You can see more information in our clicking noise guide.
- Pulsating - Pulsating can come from a loose part. Go through our pulsating noise guide for more information.
- Loud Noise - A loud noise from your outside unit can indicate an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Check out our loud noise guide for more information.
- Humming - Humming can arise from fan motor issues or a busted relay switch. Check out our humming noise guide for more information.
You can find more information about frequent air conditioning troubles on energy.gov
Should I keep operating my system when it’s making a noise?
There are some cases where you can continue to run your AC, but you do so at your own risk. It's hard to answer this question without looking at your system.
Most of the time, we recommend shutting down the unit off and contacting a professional.
When should I do something about the noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you suspect there's a problem with your air conditioner. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected spend, it's best to get problems corrected right away. Calling a professional could help lower future expenses and keep your system running longer.
Not sure if your air conditioner is making any of these noises? Please fill out the form below for a free, in-home consultation.