Why Is My Air Conditioner Making A Noise?

Hearing weird noises when your air conditioner is working? There's likely something wrong with your unit. If you don’t fix it, it could lead to extensive—and expensive—issues down the road. We're going to help you figure out what’s occurring with your air conditioner and what you can do to correct it.

8 Common Air Conditioning Noises

• Gurgling - Gurgling usually indicates a problem with your refrigerant line. If you can't identify where the noise is emanating from, that's alright. An expert can help find out where this noise is occurring. You can find more information on our gurgling noises guide.
• Crackling - Crackling could result from debris in the unit or aging ductwork. Debris in the outdoor unit will generate a noise outside your house. Aging ductwork can create noise inside your house. Check out our crackling noise guide for more information.
• Hissing - Hissing can come from a damanged refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Check out our hissing noise guide for more on that.
• Buzzing - Buzzing is no doubt an electrical issue. Check out our buzzing noise guide for additional information.
• Clicking - Clicking can indicate you have a loose part or that the fan is misaligned. You can see more information in our clicking noise guide.
• Pulsating - Pulsating can be due to a loose part. Go through our pulsating noise guide for more information.
• Loud Noise - A loud noise from your outdoor unit can mean an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Read our loud noise guide for supplementary information.
• Humming - Humming can arise from fan motor issues or a busted relay switch. Read through our humming noise guide for more information.

You can find additional information about common air conditioning issues on energy.gov

Should I keep operating my air conditioner when it’s making a noise?

There are some cases where you can continue to run your AC, but you do so at your own risk. It's almost impossible to answer this question without inspecting your system.

Most of the time, we recommend shutting off the unit off and calling a professional.

When should I do something about the noise?

We recommend calling a professional as soon as you recognize there's a problem with your system. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected expense, it's best to get problems taken care of right away. Contacting 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.