Hearing odd noises when your air conditioner is on? There's probably something wrong with your unit. If you don’t pay attention to it, it could lead to significant—and expensive—problems later. We're going to help you figure out what’s occurring with your air conditioner and what you can do to fix it.
8 Common Air Conditioning Noises
- Gurgling - Gurgling normally indicates a problem with your refrigerant line. If you can't identify where the noise is emanating from, that's alright. An expert can help determine where this noise is occurring. You can read 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 cause a noise outside your house. Aging ductwork can produce noise inside your house. Browse our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can come from a damanged refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Check out our hissing noise guide for more info.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is likely an electrical issue. Read our buzzing noise guide for further information.
- Clicking - Clicking can mean 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. Go through our pulsating noise guide for more information.
- Loud Noise - A noticeable noise from your outside unit can indicate an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Read our loud noise guide for additional 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 operating my air conditioner 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 examining your system.
Most of the time, we recommend turning the unit off and bringing in a professional.
When should I do something about the noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you recognize there's something wrong with your system. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected expense, it's smart to get problems corrected right away. Getting 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.