After a long winter, dealing with the heat of Southwest Illinois summers can be just as challenging for a homeowner as months worth sub-zero temperatures. Having a well-functioning central air conditioner (A/C) is essential. If you can troubleshoot A/C noises, you can better address any problems, either yourself or by telling a professional technician what the problem seems to be. Most of the following tips also apply to your heat pump.
A buzzing noise from your air conditioner may be related to the following parts or aspects of its operation:
- Compressor
- Start-run capacitor
- Voltage
If there’s a recurring buzzing noise coming from your A/C’s outside condensing unit, the compressor may be failing to start. This could be caused by the compressor motor seizing up. Another source of the problem could be the electrical relay or the start-run capacitor. Even a problem with the voltage may be the culprit, and if the noise is coming from an electrical component of the air conditioner, immediate action should be taken to address a potentially serious electrical problem.
Hissing Noises
Hissing noises are commonly associated with a refrigerant leak. When this occurs, caution should be taken because this chemical is potentially toxic. A low refrigerant charge will result in poor performance and may eventually cause the air conditioner to break down. In a routine A/C maintenance call, the technician should check the refrigerant level and if it’s low, ensure that there are no leaks. If you hear air hissing, the issue may be leaking ductwork. This will need to be fixed, as the system will not run Efficiently and you’ll be paying for wasted energy.
Clicking Sounds
If the system controls are clicking, the thermostat might be malfunctioning or completely broken. As the air conditioner starts, if it makes a clicking noise, this could signal that there’s some loose machinery that need to be tightened. A noise that sounds more like a loud banging could come from a loose rotating shaft or a compressor motor that’s in need of repair.
Ernst Heating and Cooling proudly serves Hamel, Edwardsville, Troy and other communities in the Metro East area. Contact us for more information on how to troubleshoot A/C noises and for any of your heating and cooling needs.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Greenville, Bethalto, Edwardsville, Collinsville, Maryville, Staunton and Troy, Illinois about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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