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—problems eventually. We're going to help you figure out what’s occurring with your air conditioner and what you can do to change 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 technician can help verify 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. Old ductwork can produce noise inside your house. Browse our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can be caused by a leaky refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Check out our hissing noise guide for more info.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is probably an electrical issue. Read our buzzing noise guide for more information.
- Clicking - Clicking can hint you have a loose part or that the fan is misaligned. You can find more information in our clicking noise guide.
- Pulsating - Pulsating can come from 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. Check out our loud noise guide for more 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 AC when it’s making a noise?
There are limited 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.
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 expense, it's best to get problems taken care of 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.