Hearing weird noises when your air conditioner is working? There's a strong probability there’s something wrong with your unit. If you don’t fix it, it could lead to major—and expensive—issues eventually. We're going to help you understand what’s happening with your air conditioner and what you can do to change it.
8 Common Air Conditioning Noises
- Gurgling - Gurgling usually indicates a complication with your refrigerant line. If you can't pinpoint where the noise is coming from, that's alright. A technician can help find out where this noise is occurring. You can read more information on our gurgling noises guide.
- Crackling - Crackling could be due to debris in the unit or aging ductwork. Debris in the outdoor unit will create a noise outside your house. Aging ductwork can produce noise inside your house. Check out our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can be created by a leaky refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Look through our hissing noise guide for more information.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is probably an electrical issue. Check out our buzzing noise guide for further 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. Check out our pulsating noise guide for more information.
- Loud Noise - A noticeable noise from your external unit can signal an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Look at our loud noise guide for supplementary information.
- Humming - Humming can arise from fan motor issues or a broken relay switch. Check out our humming noise guide for more information.
You can find further information about frequent air conditioning troubles on energy.gov
Should I keep using my AC when it’s making a noise?
There are limited 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.
Usually, we recommend shutting off 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 think there's something wrong with your unit. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected expense, it's smart to get problems taken care of right away. Contacting 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.