Everyone knows that air conditioners make noise. We are accustomed to the soft roar of air moving through the ducts, the clicks as the thermostat switches on and off, and the occasional rattle of a loose vent. However, your ears may also be the first to notice strange noises when something goes wrong with your AC.

Because your AC is a large machine and mechanical system, its sounds indicate what’s happening inside. While some noises are perfectly normal, there are air conditioner sounds that always means trouble and suggest that a repair is around the corner. As Apache Junction’s HVAC experts, Superstition Cooling can tell you precisely what to listen for to catch problems before they become disasters.

3 Air Conditioner Noises You Should Take Seriously

The three sounds you never want to hear from your AC are hissing and whistling, buzzing, and metallic grinding. No proper AC operation will make these loud noises, and they could indicate a severe problem inside your AC unit or ductwork system. Here’s why:

Hissing or Whistling

The refrigerant in your AC system moves through an internal pressure system. It is contained in copper lines and coils so that the refrigerant compresses and decompresses in a way that generates cold. A brief hissing sound could be the sound of a compression shift. However, continuous hissing or whistling can mean a refrigerant leak, and that sound is coolant escaping from the pressurized pipes like steam from a tea kettle. The more pressure, the higher-pitched the hiss, whistle, or even screaming sound can become.
If you hear loud noises such as a long hiss, whistle, or tea-kettle scream, turn off your AC and call for repairs immediately.

Buzzing

Rattling sounds may be common as air passes through slightly loose fixtures. Buzzing, however, is a bad sign, primarily if the buzzing sounds electronic, not mechanical, in nature. An electronic buzz or irregular hum can indicate electrical issues, which is more common with older air conditioning units.
Electrical issues can sometimes persist even though the house is cooling and could become potentially dangerous if ignored. The buzz should be considered immediately hazardous if paired with the smell of hot metal, melting plastic, or scorching. If you notice buzzing from the outdoor unit, turn your AC off immediately and call for an inspection.

Metallic Grinding Noise

A grinding noise is always bad when it comes to your AC — or any mechanical object. Especially if the sound is metal-on-metal grinding, this often means that one of the few moving parts inside your AC has broken and is dragging against other parts. The most likely causes are a compressor problem, loose or damaged belts, or a broken blower fan blade.
When the compressor is worn out, it may begin to grind and need to be entirely replaced. If it’s the blower fan belt or blade grinding against the unit interior, catching the problem early can mean you only have to replace the fan and related parts. If you hear grinding, turn your air conditioning unit to fan-only to see if the sound changes. Then call for AC repairs to have it fixed before further damage inside your AC unit occurs.

Professional A/C Repair Provides Comfort & Peace of Mind

A noisy air conditioner is always alarming. There’s nothing quite like the upsetting sound of your AC screaming like an angry tea kettle or producing metallic grinding sounds when the air blows. Fortunately, you don’t have to tolerate these upsetting and dangerous sounds for long, and preventing them in the future is easy.
Superstition Cooling can provide rapid repair services to fix your AC in Apache Junction, no matter what sound it is making. You can also schedule routine tune-up maintenance services to ensure that your AC never gets into a state where such catastrophic problems can occur.

Contact the Air Conditioner Repair Pros in Apache Junction

If your AC is making disturbing noises or you would like to make sure it never does, contact us today. Superstition Cooling is proud to provide reliable AC repair and maintenance services throughout Apache Junction and the surrounding areas. Contact us today to request an estimate for your next HVAC visit.

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