Hearing strange noises when your air conditioner is working? There's likely something wrong with your AC. If you don’t fix it, it could lead to major—and expensive—problems down the road. 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 generally indicates an issue with your refrigerant line. If you can't determine where the noise is originating from, that's alright. An expert can help verify where this noise is occurring. You can learn 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 create 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 caused by a leaky refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Check out our hissing noise guide for more information.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is likely an electrical issue. Check out our buzzing noise guide for further information.
- Clicking - Clicking can mean 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. Take a look at our pulsating noise guide for more information.
- Loud Noise - A noticeable noise from your external unit can mean an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Read our loud noise guide for supplementary 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 further information about prevalent air conditioning troubles on energy.gov
Should I keep running 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 difficult to answer this question without examining your system.
Most of the time, we recommend shutting off the unit off and calling a professional.
When should I do something about the noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you think there's a problem with your system. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected spend, it's better to get problems corrected right away. Calling a professional could help reduce 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.