If you sat there and Googled, “Why is my air conditioner making noises?” chances are your AC unit’s sound is bothering you.
Considering that modern air conditioning units utilize sound-dampening technology, your AC’s sound must not be bothersome. A standard AC sound should only be about a volume of a whisper or a normal conversation – with a sound level ranging between 25 and 55 decibels. Hence, if your air conditioner makes excessively loud noises, it might be a sign of a malfunction.
Although they might annoy you, these noises will help you determine what might be wrong with your AC. Below, we listed down some of the most common sounds you might hear and why your AC is excessively loud. Read further before you hop into the next step of addressing it with your trusted HVAC professional.
1. Banging Noise
Is your air conditioner making noises that resemble a banging sound? If you answered yes, it might signal that your AC has a loose or broken part.
The banging is usually an indicator that something is wrong with your compressor. The primary function of this part is to distribute the refrigerant to the whole system to remove excess heat. As your air conditioner ages over time, it is not rare to encounter problems with the compressor parts being loose. Once these parts loosen, they detach from the compressor and cause a noise when you power on your AC.
The banging sound usually comes from the piston pin, connecting rod, or the crankshaft inside the compressor of your AC unit. These parts hit the compressor’s exterior frame and cause the sound when unfastened. It can also mean that you now need to have a compressor replacement.
If you notice the banging sound persistently, contact your trusted AC professional to assist you on this matter.
2. Clicking Noise
Your air conditioner making noises that resemble clicking is relatively normal at the start-up or shutdown of your unit. But if you have observed this sound constantly throughout the cycle, it might indicate an issue.
Clicking noise from your air conditioner could be a sign that you have a thermostat problem. It can imply that it is now defective or has already failed. It would be best to have this addressed, as it might trigger more significant issues in the future.
Thermostat replacement or installation would not be your task to do. Asking for help from a professional AC technician is a must.
3. Buzzing Noise
Hear that air conditioner making noises that sound like a buzz? Several possible issues can cause this.
That buzzing noise from your AC might be from:
- Unfastened parts from the inside.
- Condenser coils need cleaning.
- The blower is failing or is out of balance.
- Air filter requires replacement or cleaning.
- Dirt accumulated on the indoor or outdoor unit
- Your air conditioner is freezing up because of refrigerant leaks.
- The fan’s motor is lax, or the fan blades are detached and out of balance.
- Copper lines rub against another thing causing friction.
The buzzing sound is a sign that you are dealing with an issue with one of your air conditioner parts: condenser fan motors, air filter, or a refrigerant leak, as cited above. Regardless, the buzzing sound means that you might be dealing with an electrical problem. Electricity jumping sounds like a buzz. Hence, you must pay immediate attention and fix the issue right away.
4. Whirring Noise
Ever heard your air conditioner making noises that resemble a helicopter? Like something that appears to be a whooshing, rapid sound? If such is the case, you might be bumping into a mechanical issue.
Mechanical problems can involve either the outdoor unit or the indoor blower. Usually, the whirring sound comes into the picture when the indoor blower fan motor has bad bearings. A failing fan within the outdoor or indoor blower units could also be a factor. When fan blades loosen and unfasten, the fan begins to fall apart. Once this occurs, your air conditioning unit will start making helicopter-like noises.
If you’re lucky enough, it might not be a faulty part causing the whirring sound. Sometimes, trapped debris caught in either the outdoor or indoor blower fan may cause that rapid, whirring noise that you are hearing. If this is the case, there’s not much for you to worry.
However, if you find and suspect that there might be a deeper reason behind that sound that you are hearing, contacting your trusted HVAC technician wouldn’t hurt.
5. Humming Noise
An air conditioner making noises that radiate like humming is usually not something out of the normal. But this could be concerning, especially when it gets excessively louder.
There are several reasons behind the humming sound that your air conditioning unit makes. The first one is maybe because of low levels of lubrication. A humming sound is usually because a motor signals that it needs lubrication. If you ignore this and allow it to run continually, it will progress into a rackety grinding noise. The second factor could be contactor failure. The contactor’s primary function is to control the electricity flow within the air conditioning unit. It serves as a bridge that interconnects the power supply to the AC. Once your air conditioner is off, the contactor opens and disables the power supply. The opposite happens if you turn your AC back on. The contactor closes, and the power supply is back.
If the contactor fails, it causes your AC to make humming noises as it receives power but cannot turn on. The third and final reason why you hear your air conditioner making noises that sound like humming is because of fin coils. If fin coils get bet, your AC will start to emit humming sounds. Bent fin coils are solved by straightening through metal combs or performing regular maintenance to keep them in their best condition.
Never ignore the humming sound you hear, as it may evolve into a more annoying buzzing sound if left unaddressed.
Conclusion amidst the noise
If you have an air conditioner making noises that you think are out of the ordinary, never disregard it. They may signal an underlying issue that can cause further damage to your unit. Ensuring that you have your regular AC maintenance is always a top-notch prevention method for any problems that may stir up in your air conditioning unit. Should you encounter further trouble with your AC, a call to the professionals is always your best option. It is better to have the problem checked and reported to an expert who can diagnose it before it begins to complicate things.
