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 significant—and expensive—issues down the road. We're going to help you find out what’s going on with your air conditioner and what you can do to change it.
8 Common Air Conditioning Noises
- Gurgling - Gurgling usually indicates a complication 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 read 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 cause a noise outside your house. Old ductwork can cause noise inside your house. Browse our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can come from a faulty 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. See our buzzing noise guide for additional information.
- Clicking - Clicking can mean you have a loose part or that the fan is misaligned. You can find more information in our clicking noise guide.
- Pulsating - Pulsating can be due to a loose part. Go through 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 additional information.
- Humming - Humming can arise from fan motor issues or a damaged relay switch. Read through our humming noise guide for more information.
You can find additional information about prevalent air conditioning troubles 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 examining your system.
Most of the time, we recommend turning the unit off and contacting a professional.
When should I do something about the noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you recognize there's something wrong with your system. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected cost, it's best to get problems fixed 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.