Hearing odd noises when your air conditioner is working? There's likely something wrong with your unit. If you ignore it, it could lead to major—and expensive—issues down the road. We're going to help you figure out what’s occurring 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 identify where the noise is coming 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 be due to debris in the unit or aging ductwork. Debris in the outdoor unit will generate a noise outside your house. Mature ductwork can produce noise inside your house. Browse our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can be created by a damanged 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 additional information.
- Clicking - Clicking can mean 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 loud noise from your outdoor unit can signal an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Check out our loud noise guide for additional information.
- Humming - Humming can begin with fan motor issues or a damaged relay switch. Read through 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 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 almost impossible to answer this question without looking at your system.
In most cases, we recommend shutting off the unit off and contacting a professional.
When should I do something about the noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you think there's a problem with your air conditioner. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected expense, it's best to get problems corrected right away. Calling a professional could help minimize 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.