Why Is My Air Conditioner Making A Noise?

Hearing weird noises when your air conditioner is working? There's a strong probability there’s something wrong with your AC. If you don’t pay attention to it, it could lead to extensive—and expensive—problems down the road. We're going to help you figure out what’s going on with your air conditioner and what you can do to correct it.

8 Common Air Conditioning Noises

• Gurgling - Gurgling usually indicates a complication with your refrigerant line. If you can't identify where the noise is coming from, that's alright. A professional can help determine where this noise is occurring. You can learn more information on our gurgling noises guide.
• Crackling - Crackling could be due to debris in the unit or aging ductwork. Debris in the outdoor unit will cause a noise outside your house. Aging ductwork can cause noise inside your house. Read our crackling noise guide for more information.
• Hissing - Hissing can be caused by a damanged refrigerant line, an internal valve leak or the compressor. Peruse our hissing noise guide for more on that.
• Buzzing - Buzzing is probably an electrical issue. See our buzzing noise guide for further information.
• Clicking - Clicking can hint 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 due to a loose part. Check out our pulsating noise guide for more information.
• Loud Noise - A clear noise from your outdoor unit can indicate an issue with your compressor, damper, fan or air handler. Read our loud noise guide for additional information.
• Humming - Humming can be related to fan motor issues or a busted relay switch. Check out our humming noise guide for more information.

You can find additional information about frequent air conditioning troubles on energy.gov

Should I keep operating my AC when it’s making a noise?

There are some 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 looking at your system.

In most cases, 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 a problem with your system. While AC repairs can be stressful and an unexpected expense, it's better to get problems fixed right away. Getting a professional could help reduce 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.