Troubleshooting Air Conditioner Noises

Unusual noises that come from an air conditioner are irritating. They can also be a sign of an air conditioner problem that if not fixed, can get worse. This makes the early detection of these noises important. Here is what you should know about the different types of air conditioner noises and what usually causes them.

Banging noises

An air conditioning system tends to produce banging noises when a moving part gets loose or broken. This causes the part to knock on the air conditioner cover or neighboring parts and hence the banging sounds.

If these sounds are coming from your compressor, then you have a broken crankshaft, piston pin or connecting rod to blame. In this case, you need to immediately replace your compressor as continued operation will simply cause more damage to your system.

However, if the noises are coming from the blower unit, then you likely have a not-so-serious problem. This is because blower unit banging noises are usually produced when the unit is simply unbalanced. Restoring its balance is all you will need to do in order to eliminate this sound.

Clanking sound

This is a sound that is commonly produced by the blower unit. An air conditioning system usually produces this noise when there is a problem with its blower fan.

It may be that the fan is loose, which causes it to wobble when moving. As a result, any time the fan moves, it knocks on the sides of the blower unit's metallic housing. This is what then produces the clanking noises.

A fan with bent blades can also have trouble rotating. This is because the bent parts may end up hitting adjacent parts, something that also produces the noises.

While clanking sounds coming from the blower unit are not an indication of a serious problem, they need to be addressed as soon as possible. Continued knocking by the blower fan blades on blower unit parts creates vibrations that are not only irritating but can also accelerate the rate at which parts such as the motor deteriorate.

Simply straightening out the bent blades and replacing any worn-out parts may solve this problem.

Squealing noises

An air conditioner relies on motors to both pull air into the system and push it through the vents and into a home. When the bearings of these motors get worn out, when the motor overheats, or when it is simply malfunctioning, it produces a squealing noise.

If your air conditioner starts producing this noise, it is time to replace one of your motors. For more assistance with AC repair, consider contacting companies like Cape Fear Air Conditioning & Heating Co., Inc.