Hearing strange noises when your air conditioner is working? There's probably something wrong with your AC. If you ignore it, it could lead to extensive—and expensive—issues down the road. We're going to help you find out what’s going on with your air conditioner and what you can do to fix 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 originating from, that's alright. A technician 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. Old ductwork can cause noise inside your house. Read our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can come from a leaky refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Look through our hissing noise guide for more information.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is no doubt an electrical issue. Read our buzzing noise guide for additional 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 be due to a loose part. Go through our pulsating noise guide for more information.
- Loud Noise - A loud noise from your outside unit can mean an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Read our loud noise guide for additional information.
- Humming - Humming can be related to fan motor issues or a busted relay switch. Head to our humming noise guide for more information.
You can find more information about prevalent air conditioning issues on energy.gov
Should I keep using my system 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 almost impossible to answer this question without inspecting your system.
In most cases, 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 recognize there's something wrong with your air conditioner. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected cost, it's better to get problems corrected 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.