Why is My Air Conditioner Making Noises?
A well-maintained and functional air conditioner shouldn’t be noisy. A soft hum coming from your air conditioning unit shouldn’t worry you much, either. Every Kanawha Valley resident needs a reliable AC to combat the humid summer days and nights. What should worry you, therefore, are any unusual AC sounds. A noisy AC is a sign that the system is malfunctioning. In order to avoid expensive repairs, schedule repair services as soon as you notice strange or loud noises from your AC. You can read on to discover some common causes of loud air conditioners.
Loose Parts
Loud buzzing or humming noises are usually due to loose AC components such as screws, nuts, and bolts. It’s likely that the fan blades are loose or out-of-balance. A detached panel can also cause loud humming or buzzing sounds. Call a professional HVAC technician to tighten the loose parts immediately to prevent them from completely detaching. Additionally, a loose panel is likely to allow contaminants into the air conditioning system, causing a faster accumulation of debris and dust. Accumulation of dirt in your AC leaves it prone to inefficiencies. Also, the contaminants can mix with your indoor air and circulate in the house, leading to allergic reactions and other health risks due to poor indoor air quality.
Air Flow Problems
Airflow issues are common culprits of noisy air conditioners. However, these problems are common in older AC units built with different pieces that can sometimes fail to work well together. The high volume of air that pushes through an AC with too small ductwork can cause a whistling sound. Small vents can also cause airflow problems that cause noisy air conditioners. Damaged ductwork also causes whistling noises, which you will likely need a technician to remedy. Additionally, dirty or clogged air filters can cause noisy air conditioners, necessitating a clean-up or replacement.
Worn-Out Compressor
Air conditioner compressors are almost always a little noisy. However, you should be worried if the component makes unusual noises or is louder than usual. It could be that the compressor is worn out or about to malfunction. This would be a good time to call an expert for repairs.
Faulty Fan
Air conditioners have two fans, one at the rear end and another at the front end. Fans need to be clear for them to function well. Fan blades can cause a rattling or humming noise, especially if they come from the fan area. Usually, debris, insulation, or other items may fall into an air conditioner, explaining the loud rattling or humming noise caused by the blade movements. You could also check if you have loose blades and tighten them to eliminate the noise.
Refrigerant Leak
A buzzing air conditioner can be due to a leaking refrigerant. Contact your HVAC technician to check on your AC immediately you notice a loud buzzing sound. Refrigerants are dangerous because of their toxicity, and even a tiny leak exposes your family to breathing complications.
Motor Issues
A bad fan motor can cause loud banging sounds. When fan motors are off balance, they can bang inside the outdoor air conditioner unit and cause loud irritating noises. A dirty blower can also get off-balance and cause unusual noises.
You can experience motor malfunctions that can affect the AC’s interior, too, causing the system to make screeching noises. Therefore, if you hear loud screeching noises from the inside of the house, it could be an issue with the blower fan motor. Loud squealing sounds could indicate a worn-out fan belt. It’s best to hire an expert to inspect your noisy AC and fix the underlying issue.
Excessive Friction
Lubrication is vital in preventing overheating of all moving components of an air conditioning unit. If your air conditioner makes squealing, wailing, or squeaking noises, then you could be having an issue with dry AC components. It’s wise to lubricate all AC moving parts often because the longer they remain unlubricated, the higher the chances of premature breakdown. Dislodged parts can also cause a loud banging noise from an AC. The sound comes from the impact that a detached part makes after hitting the AC blades.
The best thing to do with a loud or noisy air conditioner is to call our friendly and experienced HVAC technicians. We provide dependable residential and commercial HVAC services in the Kanawha Valley area. We can also help you with sewer and drain issues, water leak repairs, gas line repair, and heating installations. Contact Mullen Plumbing, Heating and Cooling in South Charleston today to book an appointment with our technicians.
