Hearing odd noises when your air conditioner is working? There's likely something wrong with your AC. If you ignore it, it could lead to major—and expensive—problems down the road. We're going to help you find out what’s occurring with your air conditioner and what you can do to change 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 originating from, that's alright. A professional can help verify where this noise is occurring. You can find 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 cause a noise outside your house. Mature ductwork can cause noise inside your house. Read our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can be created by a faulty refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Peruse our hissing noise guide for more info.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is probably an electrical issue. Check out our buzzing noise guide for more information.
- Clicking - Clicking can hint 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 clear noise from your outdoor 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 begin with fan motor issues or a broken relay switch. Read through our humming noise guide for more information.
You can find additional information about frequent air conditioning issues 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 difficult to answer this question without inspecting your system.
In most cases, we recommend turning the unit off and contacting a professional.
When should I do something about the noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you suspect there's a problem with your air conditioner. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected expense, it's best to get problems fixed 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.