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AC units these days are a necessity in Cleveland, TN due to the hot and humid summers. You want that cool relief an AC unit brings when mother nature brings on the heat of summer. If your AC unit is to function correctly you want to maintain your unit with routine care and maintenance with yearly servicing before summer comes. If your AC unit is running properly it should make very little noise. What noise it makes should sound pleasant. The sound should be a sound you can get used to and sleep with. If you start to hear funky noises coming from your AC unit it could signal a variety of problems, none of them good for your AC unit. How do you know when a strange noise means its time to call your local Cleveland, TN Air Conditioning Service? Let’s discuss how your AC should sound and what sounds could signify trouble with your central air conditioning system.
If your AC unit is functioning correctly it should be relatively quiet, other than a slight clicking or humming noise when the unit cycles on and off. Your outdoor unit of course will make a lot of loud noise when it is running, yet it should not be making any bizarre noises such as clanging, buzzing, screaming, pulsating, or Whirring noises. One of the number one complaints that an Air Conditioning Service receives is noisy air conditioners. You will want to learn what sounds are normal for your air conditioner and which sounds are pointing to a possible breakdown of your AC unit. If you want to troubleshoot your AC unit when it’s making bizarre noises you will need to identify which part is making the noise and learn when it is time to call your local Cleveland, TN air conditioning company.
If you do happen to hear a strange noise coming from your AC unit it is in your best interest to turn the air conditioner off and call in a local Air Conditioning Service. You could risk further damage to your air conditioner by running it while one or more parts of the unit are failing or broken. We have seen air conditioners that could have been repaired had the owner shut it down at the first sign of trouble. You do not want to have to replace the entire unit due to leaving it running while the AC unit was in distress. Bad sounds from your AC unit usually signify that one or more parts need servicing or replacement. The sooner you turn off the unit the better the chances are that your unit can be repaired easily versus a costly repair from a Cleveland, TN Air Conditioning Service.
Since air conditioners are not cheap you want to do your best to keep them in the best shape possible. Learning to identify what noises your air conditioner is making can help you to avoid costly repairs from your local Air Conditioning Service or worse yet having to replace the entire unit altogether. Not every sound your AC unit makes is bad, but some sounds are definitely the sign of broken or failing parts inside of your unit. Most times your AC unit will warn you that something is wrong with it by telling you via strange sounds it can produce when parts are broken and/or failing. Your central air conditioning system should produce very little in the way of noise when it is functioning correctly. We will discuss the top strange noises AC units can produce, what they can possibly indicate, and when it is time to make that call to your local Air Conditioning Service.
Banging Sounds
These sounds are usually to blame on your compressor. A loose fan blade can be hitting various components within your system. If you hear banging sounds emanating from your central air conditioning system do make the call to your Air Conditioning Service. If it is the fan blade causing the problem your AC technician can replace your worn-out fan blades before they do real damage to the rest of the parts inside of your system.
Whistling Noises
This sound usually points to a problem with your unit’s seals. The fix for this is simple, your local Air Conditioning Service will simply examine the seems to check for loose connections. Your technician will tighten up bolts and screws alongside your seams. This problem often occurs along with the seams and ducts of your AC vents where the cool air comes into your home. This problem while not too serious should be addressed by an Air Conditioning Service as it leads to an inefficient AC unit.
Rattling Sounds
If you hear this sound it is often due to your AC units fasteners becoming loose. Sometimes however internal parts of your unit have become loose. This is not a problem you want to let slide, as loose internal parts can cause a unit breakdown fairly easily. If you hear rattling sounds it is time to call in an Air Conditioning Service to check out your unit and make any needed repairs.
AC Just Sounds Too Loud
If your AC is not making strange noises but the decibel level has increased dramatically, you may be dealing with either damaged air ducts or dirty condenser fins. Another reason can be simply your AC unit has just reached the end of its lifespan and needs to be replaced due to old age. If your AC unit is running loud call your local professional Air Conditioning Service to check out your unit and perhaps perform an AC tune-up if you have not yet had one this year.
Buzzing Noise
A buzzing noise often happens if the inside of your AC unit becomes frozen. If you fail to change your air filters at least once a year you risk having the insides of your AC unit freeze up. This is why we recommend having an AC tune-up done yearly, part of the tune-up is ensuring that the air filters have been changed. When you fail to change the air filters dust, grime and debris will cake inside of the filter which will block the airflow inside of your unit. When this happens condensation from the humidity will freeze on your unit’s coils, eventually causing layers of ice. This can result in the buzzing noise you are hearing. This problem can cause higher than normal energy bills as well as water leaks. If you hear a buzzing noise emanating from your AC unit it is time to call in a Cleveland, TN Air Conditioning Service to fix the problem.
Rattling Noise
Determining the cause of a rattling noise can be difficult as many AC problems can cause this noise. It will largely depend on exactly where the sound is coming from. If you hear this sound throughout your entire home the likely culprit is your air ducts. If your air ducts have become loose or were never installed properly this sound will be the result. If the sound is coming from the outside unit you may be dealing with loose internal parts such as screws, fasteners, circuit boards, or bolts. Debris stuck inside of the condenser unit can also cause this noise. If you hear this noise you should call your Air Conditioning Service to investigate the issue before it spirals out of control and you end up with a bigger repair issue than just a rattling noise.
Whistling or Hissing Noise
This can be a serious sign of trouble with your AC unit, especially if you notice that your AC is not cooling your home properly. Another sign is if you hear this sound and you see frost forming on the box outside of your home, known as a condenser unit. If you have this sound plus your electric bill is running higher than normal it can mean that you are leaking refrigerant gas. This is a serious issue. If you notice this happening you should turn off the air conditioning system immediately. After you turn the unit off, give a call to your Air Conditioning Service for emergency service as refrigerant gases are toxic and can harm you and your family.
Grinding Noise
If you happen to hear a grinding noise come from your unit it could spell issues with either your fan belt or your compressor. If your compressor is failing it can cause a grinding noise as its parts work to compress your unit’s refrigerant. If this is the case it is likely time to replace the compressor. If the issue is your fan belt then it might be as simple as the fan belt has become loose. This is an easy fix for your local Air Conditioning Service but if ignored it can damage other parts of your central air conditioning unit.
Slamming Sound Indoors
If you are hearing a slamming sound indoors you might be having problems with your AC unit’s air filter hitting the return grill. If the grill is loose your HVAC technician will inspect your grill and check if the air filter is properly fitted or not. The filter may need replacing. Sometimes clients have a filter that is not the right size for their system. If the problem is not related to the filter itself it can indicate that the return ducts are too small. If this is the case your air ducts will need to be modified. You can also be dealing with the blower fan being loose. If the blower fan becomes loose it will cause the unit’s blower wheel to bang against the metal casing every time the unit cycles down. The fix for this is simple, your HVAC will tighten up all loose connections inside the unit. If you ignore this issue it could cause further damage so you will want to contact your Air Conditioning Service to remedy the issue.
Slamming Sound Outdoors
If your outside unit is making slamming sounds this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed right away by your Air Conditioning Service. This issue is most often either the outside fan slamming against metal or your compressor’s springs being broken. If you are hearing the fan hitting other parts of the metal this is often simply because the fan has become loose and is now striking metal parts inside of the unit, especially when the unit cycles off. Your HVAC technician can fix this rather easily. If your compressor springs have broken the refrigerant pumps of your compressor can bang against the compressor case, resulting in the slamming sound you are hearing. If this problem is not addressed you can end up with a damaged compressor. A broken compressor spring is a serious repair that should be attended to right away. In most cases the spring or springs will need to be replaced as repairing them in the field is next to impossible.
Continuous Screeching or Squealing
This is a rather serious issue that should be addressed right away by your local Air Conditioning Service. There are several moving parts inside of your unit that can cause this issue. You can hear these noises from either your vents or your outside unit, known as your condenser unit. This sound may be continual when the unit is in operation or it might only be when your fan first engages. This sound always indicates that you are dealing with a serious problem. You could be dealing with bad bearings in your condenser’s fan or your compressor. You could be dealing with an issue with your air handler too. If you only hear the screeching or squealing when the fan first turns on you are likely dealing with a shot air handler belt. If you hear this sound you should turn off the AC unit right away as you can suffer additional damage to your AC unit if you keep the unit running while it is making this sound. Do call your Air Conditioning Service after turning the unit off for emergency service.
If you notice any strange or loud noises coming from your AC unit or your vents call Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air of Cleveland, TN today. We have years of experience troubleshooting and repairing AC units. We offer emergency service for your convenience. When your AC system produces strange noises Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air will get to the bottom of the problem and make any needed repairs as quickly as possible. We are the Air Conditioning Service you can count on!
