Let’s get one thing out of the way right up front: if your AC is making unusual noises, something is wrong. Everyone has heard a cranky air conditioner at one point in their lives, but cooling systems are designed to operate quietly and efficiently—especially newer models. Yet, many homeowners in and around Cherry Hill, NJ ignore the issue and figure their ACs are simply nearing the end of their lifespans. Strange sounds don’t have to be a death sentence for your air conditioner, but they do need to be addressed.
Noisy AC? Here are a few things that could be causing the problem.
“CLICK”
Click…click…click…sounds
like a problem, right? It may well be, but chances are it’s not the end
of the world. More often than not, the “clicks” you hear with an air
conditioner will be the result of an issue with your thermostat, which
should be an easy enough fix. Other times, clicking means that a part or
parts of the AC have come loose, which—again—isn’t a huge problem, but
requires attention.
“BANG!”
If clicking is a sign that something might be loose, “banging” noises are a sign that something is definitely loose.
Perhaps it’s a connecting rod or crankshaft, for example, or the blower
could be unbalanced—the issue could even exist in the compressor.
Banging noises should not go ignored, as they’re certainly not going to
disappear on their own and could turn out to be a sign of a much bigger
problem.
“GURGLE…”
A gurgling noise within your AC is never a good sign. Frequently, this issue occurs as a result of a refrigerant leak, although gurgling typically isn’t a sign of a large leak—hissing, on the other hand, is. Either way, it’s time to turn the AC off and call in a professional to diagnose the issue fully.
“SQUEAL”
Again, your air conditioner really shouldn’t be making any noise at all apart from the sound of the unit operating. If it’s squealing in any way, something is wrong, and it’s most likely an issue with either your outdoor or indoor fan motor. Blower wheels also tend to squeal whenever they begin to malfunction. Unless the noise goes away very quickly after the AC has been started up, the problem most likely needs to be dealt with immediately.
