Why Is My Air Conditioner Making A Noise?

Hearing strange noises when your air conditioner is working? There's a strong probability there’s something wrong with your AC. If you ignore it, it could lead to extensive—and expensive—problems eventually. We're going to help you understand what’s occurring with your air conditioner and what you can do to change it.

8 Common Air Conditioning Noises

• Gurgling - Gurgling generally indicates an issue with your refrigerant line. If you can't determine where the noise is emanating from, that's alright. A professional can help find out where this noise is occurring. You can read 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 create a noise outside your house. Aging ductwork can cause noise inside your house. Browse our crackling noise guide for more information.
• Hissing - Hissing can come from a damanged refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Look through our hissing noise guide for more info.
• Buzzing - Buzzing is no doubt an electrical issue. Read our buzzing noise guide for further 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 caused by a loose part. Go through our pulsating noise guide for more information.
• Loud Noise - A clear noise from your outdoor unit can signal an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Check out our loud noise guide for additional information.
• Humming - Humming can be related to fan motor issues or a busted relay switch. Check out our humming noise guide for more information.

You can find further information about prevalent air conditioning issues on energy.gov

Should I keep using my air conditioner 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 hard to answer this question without looking at your system.

Most of the time, we recommend shutting off the unit off and bringing in 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 air conditioner. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected cost, it's smart to get problems corrected right away. Calling a professional could help reduce 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.