Hearing weird noises when your air conditioner is on? There's a strong probability there’s something wrong with your AC. If you ignore it, it could lead to extensive—and expensive—problems eventually. We're going to help you understand what’s occurring with your air conditioner and what you can do to fix it.
8 Common Air Conditioning Noises
- Gurgling - Gurgling generally indicates an issue with your refrigerant line. If you can't pinpoint where the noise is emanating from, that's alright. A professional can help determine 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. Old ductwork can cause noise inside your house. Check out our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can be created by a leaky refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Peruse our hissing noise guide for more information.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is probably an electrical issue. Check out 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 come from a loose part. Take a look at our pulsating noise guide for more information.
- Loud Noise - A noticeable noise from your external unit can mean an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Read our loud noise guide for supplementary information.
- Humming - Humming can arise from fan motor issues or a broken relay switch. Check out our humming noise guide for more information.
You can find additional information about common air conditioning troubles on energy.gov
Should I keep running 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 hard 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 an issue with your system. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected spend, it's best to get problems corrected right away. Calling 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.