Why is My Air Conditioner Making Odd Noises?

It’s especially important that you keep an eye on your air conditioner during the summer, when strain on the system is at its highest. The added demand causes more wear and tear, making it more likely that problems of various kinds will occur. You can reduce the chances of a problem cropping up by scheduling preventive maintenance for your air conditioner every spring. However, that’s never going to be 100% effective. If and when a problem does occur in your air conditioner, you need to be able to quickly identify it so you can have it repaired. The faster you get it repaired, the more damage you can prevent and the better off it will be. One of the easiest symptoms of an air conditioner problem to recognize is the presence of odd noises. Let’s go over some of those noises now.

Grinding

Your air conditioner is able to circulate air throughout your home using a part called the air handler. The air handler is basically a motor with a large fan attached to it, which blows air through the ducts during operation. The motor itself contains a number of oiled bearings, in order to help it to run more smoothly. As these bearings wear down, the friction on the system increases until it starts to make a loud grinding sound. If you hear this sound, you should turn the system off and call for repairs immediately. If you don’t, the motor will eventually overheat and burn out.

Hissing

If your air conditioner is making a sound like the air being let out of a tire, then you might have a leak in your refrigerant line. Refrigerant is the lifeblood of the air conditioner. It’s the fluid that the system uses to absorb heat from inside the home and vent it outside. The air conditioner doesn’t consume refrigerant, but recycles it back and forth by evaporating and condensing it. Eventually, the refrigerant level in the air conditioner will drop so low that the system will not be able to continue operating. Make sure you call for repairs if you hear your air conditioner making this sound, especially if you notice fluid dripping from the system.

Short Cycling

This is the behavior that you need to be most careful of. Short cycling is what happens when the air conditioner turns itself on and off every couple of minutes. This can be caused by a couple of different things. It’s possible that there is a short circuit causing the air conditioner to receive the wrong signals. It’s also possible that the compressor is malfunctioning and throwing off the rhythm of the system. Regardless, what’s important is what the problem can do to your air conditioner.

Short cycling prevents the air conditioner from completing a full cooling cycle, cutting down on its output capacity in the process. However, it also accelerates the rate at which the system wears down. Prolonged short cycling will make the system break down much more often, and will shorten its lifespan by several years. Turn your system off and call a professional immediately after hearing this noise.

Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling offers air conditioner repair services in Cumming, GA. If you need repairs of any kind, contact us today for an appointment.