Air conditioner repair is a part of life. Sooner or later, you’ll need to call in a professional for help, regardless of how well you maintain or clean your AC unit. Thankfully, there are signs you can look for—or rather, listen for—that will tell you when to bring in the experts. Here are air conditioner noises you shouldn’t ignore:

• Squealing or screeching—these sounds indicate a failing component or motor problem, such as a bad belt. It’s important to have a professional look at this as soon as possible because if the belt breaks, the blower could stop, which causes even more system damage.
• Hissing—an air conditioner that hisses (especially when running) could be telling you that it has a leaky refrigerant valve or an internal valve leak, or the compressor pressure is too high.
• Banging or rattling—when an AC unit thumps or rattles, it usually means something came loose in the motor or the blower. The key here is to listen for how loud the banging gets—if it’s loud, it may mean that whatever came loose in the motor or blower broke.
• Grinding—this usually means that there’s a problem with the compressor, as a compressor’s pistons will grind when it fails.
• Clicking—this sound can indicate electrical control issues. If your AC clicks but won’t turn on, a broken thermostat or defective relay may be to blame. If the air conditioner clicks while it runs, there may just be something stuck in the fan.
• Buzzing—a buzzing AC is trickier to diagnose. It could point to several different issues, including loose parts or debris, or a refrigerant leak. It could also mean that you need to change your air filter (which, for standard filters, we recommend you do every one to three months).

Time to Call a Professional to Diagnose and Repair Air Conditioner Noises

If you hear any of these air conditioner noises (or any others that seem out of the ordinary), reach out to a professional, such as those at S&R Heating & Cooling, to give your cooling system a once-over. As a Bryant® Factory Authorized Dealer, we offer exceptional air conditioner repair and maintenance services, as well as expert heating and indoor air quality work. No matter what noise comes out of your AC, you can always count on us to silence it. Have more questions? Call us today at 651-429-0001 or contact us online.