3 Problematic Noises That Could Mean Distress for Your Air Conditioner

07/04/17

From keeping your family cool and comfortable to removing humidity from the home, your air conditioning system is an imperative part of your everyday life. Unfortunately, you may not be placing enough time and energy into understanding and maintaining this important cooling system. Considering heating and cooling uses half of your home’s total energy, ensuring the system is in proper working condition is beneficial to both the environment and your finances. Thankfully, learning the signs that your system is in distress is imperative for prolonging the lifespan of your air conditioning and ensuring your home and family is comfortable through the summer season. If you are hearing one or more of the following signs, your air conditioner most likely needs a professional service.

Loud Banging

First off, it is important to note that your air conditioning will make some noise when it is running. Due to the system’s function, bringing air from the outside, conditioning it, and then transporting into the home will require effort and noise. However, if you are hearing a loud banging sound coming from one or all of your outdoor units, there is an underlying cause for concern.

A loud banging inside your system may stem from an issue with the unit’s blower assembly. If a part disconnects or becomes loose inside the blower assembly, the motor will struggle working, increasing the energy needed to run the system. In addition, if the loose or broken part is not repaired, the extra stress could cause the motor to permanently fail.

As soon as you hear the loud banging, turn off the air conditioning to power down the system. Then, contact a technician to inspect and repair the blower assembly.

Flapping

A flapping sound inside your air conditioning unit could be a few things. In most cases, the flapping is caused by a piece of debris lodged in between one or more blades of the fan blower inside the unit. Large pieces of mulch, pine straw, clumps of grass clippings, trash or even a dead lizard, frog or bird can all become stuck inside the unit.

Over time, the fan blades can warp or loosen, causing them to make contact with touching blades while the unit is in operation. This can also cause a flapping sound similar to the shuffling of a deck of cards.

No matter what the cause, repairing the issue is imperative. If debris is left in the unit or blades are not repaired, the fan will eventually wear down. To avoid replacing the fan motor, be sure to have your unit inspected, cleaned and repaired.

Squealing/Screaming

A squealing, screaming, or screeching sound coming from your unit can be alarming. This noise is usually a sign that you have an issue inside your compressor. Fortunately, the issue could be a minor one, so a technician will need to complete a thorough inspection of your unit to determine the sound’s cause.

If the compressor motor is not properly lubricated, the bearings will wear down and become loose. When your system is in its cooling mode, the worn bearings will scrape against one another, causing a squealing or screeching sound inside the unit.

If you are hearing the sound inside your home, you most likely have a more serious issue involving the system’s air handler. Damaged bearings, fan blades, or excessive dirt, dust, and debris inside your ducts could be causing loud squealing noises when you are cooling the home.

Again, your air conditioning system will make some noise while in operation. However, excessively loud and unappealing noises are most always a sign that your system is in distress. To diagnose and repair problems with your AC unit, contact HELP Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Drains today.

Posted in: Air Conditioning