Why Is My Air Conditioner Making Odd Noises?

It’s that time of year, when air conditioners are put on full-blast for most of the daylight hours in order to keep people cool and comfortable. More use means more stress, which means more chances for something in the system to break down. You should be especially careful about various air conditioning problems developing during this season.

One of the easiest warning signs to identify regarding air conditioner issues is the presence of odd noises while the system is operating. If your air conditioner is making strange noises, read on to find out why that might be.

Grinding

If your air conditioner is making grinding noises, it means your air handler might be about to fail. The air handler is the part of the air conditioner responsible for circulating air throughout the ducts while the system is on. It’s basically a large motor with a fan attached to it. Air handlers move a lot of air, which generates friction on the air handler motor. The motor contains oiled bearings, which help it to run more smoothly and reduce friction. These bearings wear down over time. As the bearings wear down, the friction on the motor increases and it produces a grinding sound. You’ll need to have the bearings replaced before the air handler motor overheats and burns out.

Bubbling

If your air conditioner is making noises similar to liquid being sucked through a straw, then it’s possible you have air bubbles in your refrigerant line. This means you have a leak. Refrigerant is the liquid the air conditioner relies on in order to move heat out of the home. As the refrigerant level in the air conditioner drops, due to the leak, the output capacity of the system will drop as well. Eventually, the system will be unable to keep operating with such low refrigerant and will break down entirely. If you hear this sound, especially if it is accompanied by an obvious leak in the system, call for repairs as soon as you can.

Short Cycling

Short cycling is when your air conditioner turns itself on and off every couple of minutes. This is perhaps the worst problem your system can encounter, so it’s a good thing that it comes with such an obvious symptom. The reason short cycling is such a problem is because it causes the air conditioner to wear down faster than it otherwise would. This increases the rate that problems will develop with the system, and will also shorten the air conditioner’s lifespan. Causes of short cycling vary from a damaged compressor to a short circuit in the thermostat. Regardless of the cause, though, it needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible to preserve the health of the system.

If your air conditioner is making strange noises, don’t ignore it. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our HVAC experts. We’ll make sure that your air conditioner is restored to proper shape.

Speedy Air Conditioning Service offers comprehensive air conditioner repair services in Stuart, FL.