Hearing odd noises when your air conditioner is running? There's likely something wrong with your unit. If you don’t fix it, it could lead to extensive—and expensive—issues down the road. We're going to help you find out what’s occurring with your air conditioner and what you can do to fix it.
8 Common Air Conditioning Noises
- Gurgling - Gurgling normally indicates a problem with your refrigerant line. If you can't pinpoint where the noise is originating from, that's alright. A technician 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. Old ductwork can create noise inside your house. Browse 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 likely an electrical issue. Read our buzzing noise guide for more 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 caused by a loose part. Take a look at our pulsating noise guide for more information.
- Loud Noise - A clear noise from your external unit can mean an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Look at our loud noise guide for additional information.
- Humming - Humming can arise from fan motor issues or a damaged relay switch. Head to our humming noise guide for more information.
You can find more information about prevalent air conditioning problems on energy.gov
Should I keep using my air conditioner 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 examining your system.
Most of the time, we recommend turning 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 a problem with your system. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected spend, 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.