Why Is My Air Conditioner Making A Noise?

Hearing odd noises when your air conditioner is running? There's probably something wrong with your unit. If you don’t pay attention to it, it could lead to major—and expensive—troubles eventually. We're going to help you figure out what’s happening 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 cause a noise outside your house. Old ductwork can cause noise inside your house. Read our crackling noise guide for more information.
• Hissing - Hissing can come from a faulty refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Peruse our hissing noise guide for more info.
• Buzzing - Buzzing is likely an electrical issue. Check out our buzzing noise guide for more information.
• Clicking - Clicking can indicate you have a loose part or that the fan is misaligned. You can check out more information in our clicking noise guide.
• Pulsating - Pulsating can be due to a loose part. Take a look at our pulsating noise guide for more information.
• Loud Noise - A clear noise from your outdoor 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 busted relay switch. Check out our humming noise guide for more information.

You can find additional information about prevalent air conditioning troubles 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 almost impossible to answer this question without looking at your system.

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

When should I do something about the noise?

We recommend calling a professional as soon as you think there's an issue with your unit. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected spend, it's best to get problems fixed 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.