Your air conditioning system works long hours throughout the summer days. Due to its high usage, it’s likely that you’ll experience some unusual noises coming from it from time to time. It’s crucial that you understand what the noise points toward and that you remedy the problem quickly to prevent any future damage from happening to your air conditioning system.
Bubbling
In most cases, a bubbling noise will be coupled with a water leak at the inside air conditioning unit. All too often, the drain and the pipe below it can get clogged with hard water scaling and slimy debris. When this happens, the water that your air conditioning system is pulling out of the air will make a bubbling noise as it tries to make it down past the clog.
When you experience this issue, it’s important to shut your conditioning unit off. Go ahead and clean up the water around the unit and work to remove the clog from the drain. Before turning the air conditioner back on, it’s a good idea to pour a bleach and water solution down the drain to remove any additional stuck-on debris.
Hissing
If you hear a high-pitched hissing noise, there’s likely a leak somewhere in your refrigerant lines or coils. Even a small pinhole leak in a copper line can create a faint hissing noise. It’s important that you shut off your machine and call an air conditioning professional to remedy this problem.
Refrigerant can be dangerous when it’s not handled correctly. You’ll need a professional who can fix the leak and recharge your refrigerant so that your air conditioning system runs correctly. You should never attempt to recharge your air conditioner refrigerant as it can be hazardous.
Clicking
If your air conditioning system makes a distinctive clicking noise while it’s running, it’s an indication of an electrical problem. Your air conditioning system will click when it first starts up and when it shuts off. That type of clicking is completely normal. However, if the clicking persists while the air conditioning system is running, then you know you have a problem. It’s best to rely on an air conditioning professional to handle any sort of electrical problems with your system.
Banging
One of the scariest noises that your air conditioning system can make is a banging noise. This will be very loud, and you’ll be able to hear it distinctively as your system runs. As soon as you hear a banging noise, it’s essential to shut your system off.
In most cases, a banging noise is a problem with the compressor inside of your air conditioning unit. As the compressor starts to go bad, the parts inside of it become loose. Once these parts become loose, they will move around freely inside the compressor unit, banging the housing and other parts.
Screeching
One of the most ear-wrenching noises that your air conditioning system can make is a screeching sound. This is indicative of a problem with your fan motor. Most of the time, the problem will be located in the outdoor condenser unit. However, it could be located inside the indoor unit as there are fans in there as well.
When you experience a screeching noise from your air conditioning system, it’s important to shut it off. You’ll want to shut it off at the breaker just to ensure that it doesn’t turn on when you’re trying to work on it. Go ahead and look over your fans and see if any of the belts are loose or if there’s something stuck in any of the fan blades.
Humming
Typically, you’ll hear a humming noise coming from inside of your air conditioner unit, and your unit will not turn on. This humming noise is coming from a defective contactor relay switch. This component is responsible for starting the outdoor condenser unit whenever the thermostat signals that it’s time to cool your home.
You’ll need to replace the switch before you can get your air conditioning unit to start. If you’re not familiar with the components of your air conditioning system, it’s best just to call in a professional to do the job for you.
Buzzing
Another common sound that you’ll likely hear at one point or another from your air conditioning system is a buzzing sound. This noise may be faint or it may be fairly loud. This noise indicates that there’s a loose or imbalanced part inside of your system.
Go ahead and shut off your entire air conditioning system before you open any of the covers. Take a look inside and look over your fan motors and other components to see if they’re tight. If you notice that any of the components are moving loosely, that’s likely the culprit of your buzzing noise. It’s imperative that you tighten down loose parts before restarting your air conditioning system, as you don’t want them to fly out of position and damage other parts.
Rattling
If you hear a rattling noise coming from your outdoor air conditioning unit, it’s likely that there’s some debris stuck in the system. It’s very common for loose twigs and leaves to get blown inside of the outdoor condenser unit. As they make their way to the fan, they’ll start creating a rattling noise.
Once you turn your air conditioner off, you want to remove the hardcover for your outdoor condenser unit. Go ahead and remove any loose debris that you find inside of the system, including any that is found in the fan housing. While you’re cleaning out the unit, it’s important that you pay attention to any loose screws or bolts that may be lying inside the unit. They’ll need to be tightened up before you turn your air conditioning system back on.
Clanking
If your air conditioning system is over 10 years old, you may experience a clanking noise from time to time. This simply means that the motor inside of your air conditioning system needs to be lubricated. If you’ve never done this before, it’s a good idea to call in an air conditioning expert to do the job for you.
Whirring
A whirring noise will make your air conditioning system sound like a helicopter. When this happens, it’s an indication that there’s a mechanical problem with one of your fans. If the noise is coming from inside, then it’s likely your indoor blower fan. If it’s coming from the outdoor unit, then it’s your outdoor blower fan.
This whirring noise is likely the result of bad bearings inside of the fan, a loose fan blade, or even debris stuck inside of the fan blade housing. It’s best to evaluate all of these possibilities to identify the individual issue that your air conditioning system is having.
Reliable AC Repair
Reliable Air Conditioning is your reliable air conditioner repair, maintenance, and installation company in the Gilbert area. We also provide top-quality heating and indoor air quality services. Just give us a call today to schedule your next appointment.
