Everything You Should Know About Heat Pumps

Noises Your Air Conditioner Shouldn't Make & What The Noises May Mean

8 September 2018

Jessica Jimenez

Modern air conditioners are designed to be quiet. So if you hear a strange noise coming from the air conditioning unit, it could signal the need for anything from a simple tune-up to costly air conditioning repair services, or even worse, complete replacement of the air conditioner. The sooner you are able to determine what is causing the noise and address the issue, the better. Here are 3 sounds you shouldn't hear coming from your air conditioner and what the noise may mean.

Banging and/or Knocking

A banging or knocking sound generally means there is a broken or loose part, such as the crankshaft, connecting rod or piston pin that are inside of the air conditioner compression. In some situations, especially if the banging is extremely loud, it may mean your air conditioning system needs a compressor replacement. This type of problem will only worsen if you do not have it repaired, so it's best to turn the air conditioner off and contact a local air conditioning repair company.

Buzzing or Humming

If you hear a humming sound, it doesn't always indicate a serious problem, but it does mean that something inside of the air conditioner is off. For example, a loose part or refrigerant piping can cause slight vibrations or humming sounds, both of which are easy fixes. If the compressor is humming, it may be an issue with the motor, and you should have it repaired as soon as possible. A buzzing noise from the outside unit may be an indication of:

• Debris in outdoor or indoor unit
• Loose parts
• The outdoor fan motor is about to fail
• Loose or out-of-balance fan blades
• The filter needs to be changed
• The blower is out of balance
• The condenser coil needs to be cleaned
• Refrigerant is leaking, causing the unit to freeze up

Some of these problems are easy DIY fixes, such as cleaning the debris from the unit or changing the filter, but some problems, such as leaking refrigerant, require professional assistance.

Screaming or Squealing

Problems with the fan and the blower often cause squealing, screeching or screaming noises that may be heard through the ducts. You may hear a loud squealing sound if the outdoor fan motor or the indoor blower motor is going bad. If one of these is the problem, you will generally hear the sound when you first turn the unit on.If you hear a high-pitched screaming sound, you should turn the air conditioner off and call an air conditioning repair service right away. This sound is typically caused by a refrigerant leak, which can not only cause damage to the air conditioner but to your family's health as well.

If you hear any type of unusual noises coming from the air conditioning unit and have tried changing the filter and cleaning the outside unit, the best solution is to turn the unit off and contact a professional air conditioning repair service like Estes Heating & Air Conditioning as soon as possible.

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