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Professional Heating & Air Blog

“What’s That Sound?”

Air conditioners aren’t supposed to be noisy. If you were to take any one piece of advice from this blog post, then it should be that. Your AC unit, while it might send air gently wafting into the rooms of your home, should never produce loud or uncomfortable noises. If it is, then there’s something clearly wrong with it and it might require the attention of a professional!

This blog is dedicated to informing our customers about some of the strange or uncomfortable noises an air conditioner can make. When you recognize one of these noises, take this as a guide to call our team for air conditioning services in Mandeville, LA. Then, with a professional on the case, you can sit back and relax knowing that the problem will be fixed!

So, let’s start talking about some of the noises that your air conditioner might be making that signal the need for support.

Bubbling and Hissing

Let’s first start with one of the most common noises that an AC can make. Bubbling and hissing sounds are almost always relegated to a refrigerant leak. Inside your air conditioner are lines of refrigerant that must evaporate and condense quickly to move heat from one place to another.

When a refrigerant leak ruptures or starts leaking, two things can happen.

  • Gaseous refrigerant starts to escape the line into the atmosphere. This is the infamous “hissing” noise that you might be hearing.
  • Air bubbles infiltrate the liquid refrigerant lines. This is the other bubbling noise that you might be hearing as well.

None of these occurrences are good, and we recommend getting your system repaired quickly if you encounter them.

Grinding

If your air conditioner is grinding, that’s a very bad sound. While it could be a problem with the blower fan rubbing up against its housing, it could also be a problem with the compressor. The compressor is the heart of your system, so if it’s grinding, that can mean there’s a disaster afoot.

Your compressor has valves that run similarly to a car engine, moving at high speeds. When they fail, they can start grinding which can cause tremendous damage and an early system breakdown. Shut your system off and call for help!

Buzzing

Buzzing noises are synonymous with electrical problems. If your air conditioner turns on and makes an incessant buzzing noise, like a swarm of bees in your home, then it’s likely due to an electrical malfunction. Air conditioners have high-tech electrical components that require electrical energy in order to function properly. If something goes wrong, it could start buzzing like a broken toy or a TV that won’t work properly.

Shrieking or Squealing

Shrieking or squealing is never a good sign, and it’s usually coming from your blower system. The blower of an air conditioning unit has a rubber belt that needs to run at very high speeds. When it starts to fray or come apart, it can squeal or even shriek loudly, alerting everyone in the home to the problem. Yikes!

Luckily, there’s a solution to your problem–AC repairs. When you need it done right call Professional Heating & Air. 

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