“My AC’s making a weird noise.” That’s a complaint we at RJW Mechanical hear time and time again from Northwest Arkansas homeowners. In the summer months, when the weath#000000er is hot and you’re just looking for some cool (and quiet) relief from the heat, the last thing you want to hear is some weird sound coming out of your air conditioner. The problem is, there are many different sounds a malfunctioning cooling unit can make and they all mean different things.
Want to know whether that noise should send you running to schedule AC repair? Let’s break down a few of the common sounds and whether a call for air conditioning service is in your immediate future.
Rattling
Depending on the severity of the sound, a rattling sound in your heating and cooling system likely means you have a loose part somewhere. It could be something as small as a screw. It could be your fan, or debris like twigs or leaves that have gotten into the condenser unit outside. It also might signal that your compressor motor is dying.
Squealing
A number of air conditioners can emit a high-pitched squeal when they first start up, but odds are if you’re reading this right now, you know the difference between a normal noise your system makes regularly and something odd that sounds off. A squealing or screeching sound could point to one of your AC motors—either the outdoor fan or the indoor blower. The blower wheel and its blower wheel housing is also another common culprit, and will need to be repaired by a professional.
Clicking
Similar to squealing, many heating and cooling systems will click when they’re turning on or off. But if you hear constant clicking, or the clicking is louder than normal, it’s likely an electrical malfunction that’s to blame. There are many electrical components in your air conditioner, including the thermostat, and ignoring them may have negative effects on other areas of your system. For electrical problems like this, we recommend calling an experienced air conditioning technician right away so you can avoid any risk of electrocution.
Buzzing
There are a number of different potential causes for buzzing sounds, some more serious than others. Buzzing from your air conditioner could be from:
A loose part
Air filters that need to be cleaned/replaced
Sticks or leaves caught in the outdoor condenser unit
Dirty condenser coil
Refrigerant leak
Banging
A banging noise in your AC almost certainly means there’s a loose or broken part rattling around somewhere. The volume of the noise could suggest whether the part is big or small. It might be a rod, piston, or crankshaft from the compressor motor. If you hear loud banging or thudding, you should turn off your HVAC system right away to prevent further damage and call a professional service technician.
RJW Mechanical Can Bring You Peace and Quiet
If you’re a Fayetteville or Rogers homeowner dealing with strange noises coming from your AC, we don’t recommend waiting around to see if the problem will just go away on its own. At RJW Mechanical, we’ve been providing Northwest Arkansas with the best in HVAC repair for over 15 years, and there isn’t a weird noise coming from your air conditioner we haven’t heard before or know how to fix. You can even schedule regular tune-up services so your cooling system doesn’t make strange sounds in the first place! With 24/7 emergency service and a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee, you can trust that you’ve called the right team for air conditioning repair.
Is your AC going “Clack! Clack!”? Call 479-443-9331 or contact RJW Mechanical to get your home cooling back on track.
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