Hearing strange 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—issues eventually. We're going to help you figure out what’s happening with your air conditioner and what you can do to fix it.
8 Common Air Conditioning Noises
- Gurgling - Gurgling generally indicates a problem with your refrigerant line. If you can't determine where the noise is emanating from, that's alright. A professional can help determine where this noise is occurring. You can read 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. Aging ductwork can produce noise inside your house. Read 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 information.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is no doubt 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 check out 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 loud noise from your outdoor unit can mean an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Check out our loud noise guide for more 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 frequent air conditioning problems 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 calling a professional.
When should I do something about the noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you suspect there's something wrong with your unit. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected expense, it's best 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.