One of the first things that people usually notice when there’s a problem with their air conditioner is that it starts making a new sound. There are a wide variety of noises you might hear that indicate that something is wrong, but any unusual noises are always cause for concern. What noises might you hear when you need air conditioner repair? What could be wrong? Here’s the scoop.
Rattling
A rattle or clatter is most often caused by a component in your air conditioner being loose. This can easily happen simply because of the vibration your air conditioner causes when it’s running. It could be as simple as a loose screw or wobbly fan blade, but you definitely need AC repair in Covington, LA before that part comes totally loose and damages another component.
Buzzing
It may be that there’s a minor vibration causing this noise, and you simply need something tightened into place. But buzzing can also be a sign of an electrical issue. Because this poses safety hazards, such as electrical shock and even fire, you shouldn’t ignore the sound. A qualified technician can determine exactly what’s wrong and get it sorted out for you.
Booming
When your air conditioner’s cooling cycle begins, it suddenly needs to draw a lot of power. If this puts too much demand on your electrical system all at once, the compressor in the outdoor unit may make a booming sound. Chances are, what you need is a capacitor designed to hold a little extra energy and release it all at once for the start of each cooling cycle.
Whistling
This sound, just like when it’s made by a mouth, is created by air passing through a very small space at high speed. It could be that a seal is loose in the AC unit itself. It could be that a crack in your ductwork is making the noise. Either way, it’s not just an annoying noise, it’s an opening where there shouldn’t be one, and it’s adversely affecting the air pressure in your HVAC system.
Bubbling or Hissing
Hissing could be the sound of gaseous refrigerant escaping through a damaged spot on your coils, and bubbling could be the sound of air percolating through where the refrigerant should be. A refrigerant leak is serious business, making the system ineffective, using a lot of excess energy, and forcing the compressor—which you don’t want to damage—to work overtime.
Grinding or Groaning
Is your air conditioner stressed out and grinding its teeth, or groaning to complain about the heavy workload? Chances are, the bearings in the blower fan motor are wearing down. Have it checked out right away. You want to catch this problem when it’s just a matter of replacing the bearings. If they grind down too much, the motor itself will be badly damaged, and you’ll need to replace the whole thing.
Whether what you’re hearing is one of these sounds or something else we haven’t mentioned, take any strange, new air conditioner noise seriously and get your system the help it needs.
When you need AC repair, contact Gowland’s Heating & A/C today! Relationship over revenue!