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 extensive—and expensive—troubles down the road. We're going to help you figure out what’s going on with your air conditioner and what you can do to correct it.
8 Common Air Conditioning Noises
- Gurgling - Gurgling normally indicates an issue 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 find 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 cause a noise outside your house. Mature 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. Look through our hissing noise guide for more info.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is no doubt an electrical issue. Read our buzzing noise guide for additional 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 be due to 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. Check out our loud noise guide for additional 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 additional information about prevalent air conditioning problems on energy.gov
Should I keep running 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 looking at your system.
Usually, we recommend shutting down the unit off and contacting a professional.
When should I do something about the noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you think there's an issue with your air conditioner. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected cost, it's better to get problems fixed right away. Calling 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.