Air conditioner sounds that your unit doesn’t usually make can be alarming. You know that something is wrong, but you don’t know what it is. The good news is that we have a list of sounds to listen for so that you can call us when you hear any of them.
When your AC does make unusual noises, you need to schedule air conditioning repair in Hagerstown, MD sooner rather than later. Keep reading to learn why sounds like humming, clicking, rattling, scraping, and whistling are potentially dangerous for your unit.
AC Humming
Humming is especially concerning if you hear the noise coming from your outdoor unit. If your outdoor unit hums when it is turning on for a cooling cycle, this can point to issues with the capacitor. The outdoor unit has a capacitor that provides an extra energy boost for starting up.
Your air conditioner needs this because it ultimately uses more power when it first turns on. After that, the need for power balances back out to maintain a cooling cycle. If a capacitor goes out, your air conditioner may not turn on at all. Humming is just an early indication that the capacitor is beginning to go bad.
AC Clicking
Clicking is another sound that can mean your air conditioner is struggling to turn on. However, with clicking, it means that the compressor is having problems operating the way it should. Clicking can also point to electrical problems which are equally concerning.
AC Rattling
If you hear a rattling noise during an air conditioner operation, it can point to something being loose inside the unit. It may be as simple as a screw that is gently rattling because it is loose in its place. Alternately, rattling could mean that something small has broken free and is moving around inside of your air conditioner. Either way, you want to get the problem addressed before a loose component gets lodged in the wrong place and causes even more problems.
AC Scraping
Many times you will hear scraping if a fan blade gets bent out of place. The blade will scrape against the side of your air conditioner as it spins around. Depending on how bad the damage to the fan blade is, the scraping sound may be quieter or louder. A broken fan blade can greatly impact airflow leading out into your home, and may eventually also add strain to the attached motor.
AC Whistling
If you hear a whistling sound come from your air conditioner, you may have a refrigerant leak. When refrigerant is in its gas form, it makes a whistling sound as the high-pressure gas moves through the lines and out of a point of damage. It’s also possible that refrigerant will make a bubbling sound instead if it is a liquid in the line where the leak is happening.
To schedule your air conditioning service, contact Premier HVAC Services today!