Aside from a faint whoosh when it first turns on, your air conditioner should be mostly silent. You’ll likely hear the sound of blowing wind if you listen closely, but that’s background noise you probably won’t notice after a few minutes. This near-silence from your HVAC system is a sign that your AC is working properly and that everything is running smoothly. On the other hand, your air conditioner might be very noisy if something is wrong with it. While you should never hesitate to contact an experienced HVAC contractor for repairs if you hear any strange noises from your air conditioner, it still helps to know exactly why your AC is so loud. Here are some common air conditioner noises and what they mean.
1. Banging Noises
A banging noise is usually a sign that something is wrong with your AC’s air compressor. The compressor distributes refrigerant throughout your air conditioner, and parts can come loose if you have an older AC unit. When these parts come loose, they can rattle around inside the compressor, which produces a banging or rattling sound. The compressor isn’t designed for easy disassembly, so you need to contact an HVAC contractor for repairs if you notice any banging noises when you run your air conditioner.
2. Screeching Noises
The most common culprit when you hear screeching noises from your AC is a malfunctioning fan motor in your outdoor unit. Screeching noises can also be caused by a broken motor in your AC’s condenser system or a bad blower fan motor in your house. Since the blower is responsible for removing warm air from your home and distributing cold air, a bad motor could leave your home feeling uncomfortably warm on top of being annoyingly loud.
Other causes of screeching AC noises are an impaired fan belt and damaged bearings in a fan motor. In any case, if you hear any screeching coming from your air conditioner, turn it off immediately and contact an HVAC professional for repairs. Attempting to ignore the sound and running your AC will only damage it further.
3. Humming Noises
A humming noise in your air conditioner is caused by a defective contactor relay switch. The contactor relay switch is responsible for turning on your outdoor condenser unit when your thermostat reaches a certain temperature. In other words, it turns on your AC when your house gets too hot.
Unfortunately, a bad contact relay switch means that you’re going to be without air conditioning for a while. It’s an electrical problem that needs to be repaired as soon as possible, so don’t even try to run your AC if this is happening.
4. Buzzing
If you hear a buzzing sound from your air conditioner, don’t ignore it. It could be caused by a loose or unbalanced fan blade in your outdoor unit, dirty condenser coils, or other loose components in your HVAC system. It could even indicate a refrigerant leak, which is a serious problem that will leave your air conditioner all but useless.
Buzzing sounds may be faint and easy to ignore if you’re not paying attention, so listen closely if you think you hear it. If you do, contact an HVAC contractor as soon as possible. If you’re lucky, you have a minor issue that can be fixed easily before it causes any more trouble.
5. Rattling Noises
Rattling noises can sometimes be caused by debris that has gotten into your outdoor AC unit. If this is the case, it’s simply a matter of disassembling the unit and removing the debris. Unfortunately, rattling can also be caused by loose components or a damaged electrical contractor. These are much more serious issues that should be addressed as soon as possible.
6. Continuous Clicking
Hearing a clicking noise when your air conditioner turns on and off is normal. What isn’t normal is hearing a continuous clicking while your AC is running. This is usually a sign of a malfunctioning thermostat. It’s technically easier to fix a bad thermostat than a bad air conditioner, but it’s still something that should be left to a professional.
If the clicking sound you hear is your air conditioner constantly turning itself on and off, you still might have a problem with the unit itself. This is called short cycling, and it can happen if your AC is struggling to maintain a consistent temperature. Your air conditioner might also short-cycle if it is too small for your home. If this is the case, consider getting a new unit. It may cost more upfront to install a larger unit, but it will work more efficiently and save you money in the long run.
7. Hissing Noises
Hissing noises are often caused by an air leak in your ducts. A minor leak will make your HVAC system less efficient while a major leak could prevent it from working at all. Hissing noises can also be caused by a malfunctioning air valve or an air filter that isn’t compatible with your HVAC system. You can easily replace the air filter if this is the culprit. If you do this and the hissing sound persists, contact an HVAC professional to look over your system.
8. Bubbling Sounds
Bubbling sounds are usually caused by a faulty drainage system in your air conditioner, likely a blockage or a leak in the water line. If you suspect that this is a problem, check your AC unit. If it’s leaking water or your drainage system is overflowing, you’ve likely found your problem. Disassembling your drainage system is easy enough, but don’t hesitate to contact an HVAC contractor to take care of the job if you think it’s beyond you. Attempting to do so could only make the problem worse.
If it turns out that you need a whole new drainage system, you will need to contact a professional for the job. At this point, it’s a delicate operation that may require more than just replacing a few pipelines and clearing out a blockage somewhere.
Contact Cowboys Air Conditioning & Heating for Assistance
No air conditioner should be louder than a faint breeze. As much as you might want to ignore a quiet rattling or buzzing sound from your AC unit, you likely have a problem that should be addressed sooner rather than later.
If you do hear anything out of the ordinary when your AC is on, Cowboys Air Conditioning & Heating will be happy to assist you. We are a family-owned business serving San Antonio and the surrounding area, and we take great pride in providing excellent HVAC services to our customers. Some of the services we provide include air conditioner installation and repair, heating repairs and maintenance, insulation, and air quality services. We even provide 24/7 HVAC repairs since heating and cooling problems never happen on a convenient schedule.
For more information about our HVAC services or to schedule a visit to your home, contact Cowboys Air Conditioning & Heating in San Antonio, TX today.
