Hearing odd noises when your air conditioner is working? There's probably something wrong with your system. If you don’t pay attention to it, it could lead to significant—and expensive—issues eventually. We're going to help you figure out what’s occurring with your air conditioner and what you can do to correct it.
8 Common Air Conditioning Noises
- Gurgling - Gurgling usually indicates a problem with your refrigerant line. If you can't determine where the noise is coming from, that's alright. A professional can help find out where this noise is occurring. You can learn more information on our gurgling noises guide.
- Crackling - Crackling could result from debris in the unit or aging ductwork. Debris in the outdoor unit will create 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 be caused by a leaky refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Peruse our hissing noise guide for more on that.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is no doubt an electrical issue. See our buzzing noise guide for additional information.
- Clicking - Clicking can hint you have a loose part or that the fan is misaligned. You can check out more information in our clicking noise guide.
- Pulsating - Pulsating can come from a loose part. Take a look at our pulsating noise guide for more information.
- Loud Noise - A noticeable noise from your outdoor unit can mean an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Check out our loud noise guide for additional information.
- Humming - Humming can be related to fan motor issues or a damaged relay switch. Check out our humming noise guide for more information.
You can find further information about frequent air conditioning issues on energy.gov
Should I keep operating my AC 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 looking at your system.
Usually, we recommend shutting off the unit off and contacting a professional.
When should I do something about the noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you recognize there's an issue with your unit. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected spend, it's better to get problems corrected right away. Contacting a professional could help minimize 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.