Hearing strange noises when your air conditioner is running? There's likely something wrong with your AC. If you ignore it, it could lead to extensive—and expensive—problems later. We're going to help you find out what’s happening with your air conditioner and what you can do to fix it.
8 Common Air Conditioning Noises
- Gurgling - Gurgling generally indicates a complication with your refrigerant line. If you can't identify where the noise is originating from, that's alright. A technician can help verify where this noise is occurring. You can read more information on our gurgling noises guide.
- Crackling - Crackling could come from debris in the unit or aging ductwork. Debris in the outdoor unit will create a noise outside your house. Mature ductwork can cause noise inside your house. Browse our crackling noise guide for more information.
- Hissing - Hissing can be created by a damanged refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Peruse our hissing noise guide for more info.
- Buzzing - Buzzing is probably an electrical issue. See our buzzing noise guide for additional 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 caused by a loose part. Take a look at our pulsating noise guide for more information.
- Loud Noise - A clear noise from your outside unit can signal an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Look at our loud noise guide for more information.
- Humming - Humming can be related to fan motor issues or a damaged relay switch. Head to our humming noise guide for more information.
You can find further information about common air conditioning problems on energy.gov
Should I keep operating my AC 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 hard to answer this question without examining your system.
Most of the time, we recommend turning the unit off and bringing in a professional.
When should I do something about the noise?
We recommend calling a professional as soon as you recognize there's an issue with your system. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected expense, it's smart to get problems corrected right away. Getting 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.