Your air conditioner is in the business of making you comfortable. It needs to be making cold air. It does not need to be making a terrible racket! Of course, there are some sounds that you can expect to hear from your air conditioner, like a gentle hum and whoosh. If you hear any sudden, unexpected, unusual noises from your air conditioner, you need AC repair in Point Pleasant, NJ! Here’s what you might hear.
1: Banging
The outdoor unit contains the compressor, and when the cooling cycle starts, that component comes on to get the refrigerant moving through the coils. It takes a lot of power all at once to get up and running, and if your system is struggling to provide that power, it may hard start, or come on with a bang. Usually, a new capacitor, which stores extra power like a battery for just this purpose, is all that’s needed.
2: Clattering
Your air conditioner vibrates a lot. That’s just the nature of the job it does. This means that it’s easy for the vibration to work components slightly loose, so they can rattle. If you have it seen to promptly, this is probably going to be an easy fix, but you don’t want the clatter to continue until the components actually come apart!
3: Buzzing
This may be the same issue as above—parts that are slightly loose, enough to buzz against each other as the system vibrates. They could start to clatter more as they continue to loosen. However, there’s a chance that an AC buzz is caused by an electrical issue! Since this runs the risk of electric shock or even fire, don’t delay in getting it repaired.
4: Clicking
It’s normal to hear the system click as it shuts down at the end of a cooling cycle. However, frequent clicking throughout the cycle is not normal. If you hear this, it could also be a sign of an electrical problem, so it’s important to get it checked right away.
5: Whistling
Just as you whistle with your mouth by making a very small opening and forcing air through, a whistle in your AC system is caused by air being pushed through a small opening, and chances are, that opening shouldn’t be there. It could be a loose seal or even a crack in your ductwork.
6: Hissing
If it sounds like air escaping from a bicycle tire, it might not be air at all, but in fact, refrigerant in its gaseous form leaking from a damaged spot on your AC coils. If this continues, your system will work more and more poorly, run more of the time, strain the compressor, and possibly even develop a layer of ice. Damaged coils can be repaired, so get help from a qualified technician.
7: Bubbling
Refrigerant is not always gaseous. It spends a lot of time in liquid form as well. If refrigerant has leaked out of the system, air will leak in to fill the space, and you may hear air bubbles moving through the liquid refrigerant. This is a different sound from a hiss, but it’s likely caused by the same problem.
You’re More Comfortable With Atlantic Air Systems. Schedule your appointment with us today.