Hearing strange noises when your air conditioner is on? There's probably something wrong with your unit. If you don’t fix it, it could lead to significant—and expensive—problems eventually. We're going to help you find out what’s going on 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 identify 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. Mature ductwork can produce noise inside your house. Browse our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can be created by a faulty refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Look through our hissing noise guide for more on that.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is likely an electrical issue. Check out our buzzing noise guide for more information.
- Clicking - Clicking can indicate you have a loose part or that the fan is misaligned. You can see more information in our clicking noise guide.
- Pulsating - Pulsating can be due to a loose part. Go through our pulsating noise guide for more information.
- Loud Noise - A noticeable noise from your outdoor unit can indicate 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 broken relay switch. Read through our humming noise guide for more information.
You can find further information about prevalent air conditioning issues on energy.gov
Should I keep running my AC 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 almost impossible to answer this question without inspecting your system.
In most cases, 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 suspect there's an issue with your air conditioner. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected spend, it's better to get problems fixed right away. Getting a professional could help lower 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.