Hearing weird noises when your air conditioner is running? There's a strong probability there’s something wrong with your AC. If you ignore it, it could lead to significant—and expensive—issues eventually. 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 - Gurgling generally indicates a problem with your refrigerant line. If you can't determine where the noise is emanating from, that's alright. An expert can help determine where this noise is occurring. You can find more information on our gurgling noises guide.
- Crackling - Crackling could come from debris in the unit or aging ductwork. Debris in the outdoor unit will generate a noise outside your house. Old ductwork can produce noise inside your house. Check out our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can come from a faulty refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Peruse our hissing noise guide for more on that.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is likely 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 find more information in our clicking noise guide.
- Pulsating - Pulsating can come from a loose part. Check out our pulsating noise guide for more information.
- Loud Noise - A loud noise from your outdoor unit can mean 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 broken relay switch. Head to our humming noise guide for more information.
You can find additional information about prevalent air conditioning troubles on energy.gov
Should I keep using my air conditioner when it’s making a noise?
There are a few cases where you can continue to run your AC, but you do so at your own risk. It's almost impossible to answer this question without examining your system.
In most cases, we recommend shutting down the unit off and calling a professional.
When should I do something about the noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you suspect there's something wrong with your system. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected cost, it's best to get problems taken care of right away. Getting 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.