Living with a noisy air conditioner is infuriating. The noise that might be coming from your air conditioner clearly indicates that something is wrong with the inside unit which calls for your attention and repair…
It’s not advisable to ignore any funny noise that is coming from your compressor because it may create a big problem that may be too costly to repair or damage the compressor for good. There are several reasons behind a noisy air conditioner:
Worn out compressor
The air conditioner compressor usually makes slight noise but if the compressor is worn out or wearing out, it can cause the air conditioner to produce noise that is so annoying. So if your compressor is much noisier than usual it’s very important to call a technician and have it checked before developing a huge problem.
Damaged fans
The air conditioner has two fans. One is placed at the front end and one fan at the back end in an air conditioner. The air conditioner fans need regular maintenance to enable them to work and function properly. They need to be kept clean all the time. In case you hear the rattling or humming noise coming from the fan area, you need to have the fan blades checked. Ensure you check on any debris around the blades and remove them. In case you check and discover that the fun is not dusty or no insulation found it’s advisable you check on the blades themselves, at times they become loose and this may cause the noise. If they are loose then you need to tighten them. Bending blades can cause noise in case they are touching the nearby components of the unit which produces the noise.
Faulty fan motors or the drive motor.
The air conditioner has a dual shaft fan motor. Sometimes if the shaft gets damaged, the air conditioner will be noisy. The bearings of the fan motor require permanent lubrication. After several years of the operation, the lubrication tends to break down causing the motor loud and noisy. In case the fan motor has a problem, causing the noise it needs to be replaced immediately since the fan is not repairable and the only remedy is to replace it.
Defective motor belt or bearing
In case your AC produces a screeching sound, it’s a clear indication that there is a problem with the belt or motor bearing. The defective motor belt is a mutual reason behind a noisy air conditioner. Repairing the belts is not expensive so it’s not complicated to handle such a problem.
Foreign objects
If your air conditioner has been operating well and at a steady noise that is friendly to the ears and suddenly begins to produce a funny loud noise, there could be a possibility of a foreign object, small animals or even frying debris having fallen into it causing the loud noise. In case your AC is on the ground floor, there is a possibility of animals like rats, cockroaches and lizards creating and finding their new home inside the AC resulting in the AC making noise if that’s is the case, immediately switch off your air conditioner, unplug and open the grill to remove the foreign object then fasten the grill back and start the air conditioner again.
Loose front grill
Some air conditioners like the window air conditioner have the front grill which needs to be removed on regular basis to clean the filter. In case they are not fitted in properly they can be problematic for the functioning of the unit causing a very loud vibration. This calls for the removal of the grill and fixing it properly and tight to eliminate the noise. In case the locking mechanism is spoilt, you may be required to replace it immediately.
Coil problems
In case your coils are frozen or dirty, they can contribute to the noise behind your AC. Clogged and bent coil fins can cause your air conditioner to produce a humming sound. The clogged coils are very dangerous since they will cause your system to work harder and longer too. This may lead to a system breakdown and raise your energy bill too.
Poor system design
Improper installation of the system may lead to a noisy AC. This will only happen if the system is too large or it’s outfitted with high-quality noise reduction technology.
Refrigerant leak
Leakage from your refrigerant can be the cause of the noise in your air conditioner. In case you hear a hissing noise, the possibility could be the system is having a refrigerant leak. It’s very important to impose a regular check on refrigerant levels for safety.
Electrical issues
This could be another cause of the AC making noise. Always confirm that your system is well fitted and doesn’t have any problems with the fittings.
Incompatible ducts and units
In case the parts of your AC unit have been installed at different times, this may prevent the ventilation from running slickly with the other system. If the duct is too small preventing the air from blowing through the system well, this could lead to the whistling sound.
Clogged filters
Sometimes the air filters which are designed to filter some particles may become full blocking the airway leading to a noisy air conditioner.
Highlighted below are different types of sounds that your AC produces which may not sound like good music dance into your ears thus calling for attention.
- Whining and whistling
These types of sounds are alarming and mostly indicate airflow problems. There are several causes of these puzzling ventilation issues that lead to a noisy air conditioner.
- Shake rattle and roll
These types of noise are caused by the loose parts of the air conditioner which are mostly caused by a lot of movements. The remedy to this is tightening the loose parts to cub the alarming noise from your AC.
- Buzz
In most cases, a buzzing sound will come from an electrical problem. In case you hear a click sound just know that your system contactors or communicators are failing. If you have any new issue with noisy air conditioner share with us.