Unlike your fridge or shower, your home’s air conditioner is one appliance that you likely don’t think about every day. That is until it stops working. Sometimes this happens without warning. Other times, you might have an air conditioner making noise for a few days or even a few weeks first. If you ignore this early warning, your home may quickly turn into a stifling sauna.
Especially in the heat of a Las Vegas summer, if your HVAC unit comes to a halt, you’ll be reaching for the phone to call the best 24 7 air conditioning repair Las Vegas has to offer as quickly as possible. And even then, you might be left sweating it out for a few hours. Or even longer while your repair specialist is on their way or getting to work.
Knowing what common noises mean can help you get to the root of why your air conditioner is making noise.
Why is my air conditioner making noise?
One of the most common complaints about household HVAC systems is “why is my air conditioner making noise?” In fact, this complaint falls just behind a unit that won’t blow cool air. This common complaint can sometimes be tough to diagnose. That’s because there are a variety of types of noises that an HVAC unit can make. How can you tell when a noise warrants a call to the best 24 7 air conditioning repair Las Vegas has to offer? The first step is identifying what kind of noise you’re hearing.
If you call up your local HVAC emergency specialists and ask, “why is my air conditioner making noise,” the first thing they’ll ask you is what kind of noise you’re hearing. You’ll want to describe the sound as accurately as possible. That’s because the type of sound can help your Rakeman expert identify what the problem could be before they even arrive at your home.
Let’s take a closer look at some common air conditioner noises, and what they may mean for your HVAC unit.
Popping
One of the most common noises that homeowners report hearing is a popping sound coming from your home’s ductwork. If you call up your HVAC specialist and let them know that you’re hearing a strange popping sound in your walls, they’ll likely ask you whether you’ve recently turned on your home’s heat for the first time in a while.
This is because as warm air rushes through cold metal ductwork, the ducts expand ever so slightly. This slight expansion is enough to cause fairly loud pops that can be startling to homeowners. Luckily, this is an issue that should resolve itself. Once the ducts warm up from the heat, the noise will go away.
“Thwapping”
The word “thwapping” sounds a bit like nonsense — until you hear that exact sound coming from your air conditioner. This noise is often caused by fan blades that are loose, sticking, or encountering a foreign object stuck inside your unit. This sound may not initially affect your HVAC’s functionality but left unfixed over time, it will cause your fan motor to work overtime and wear out your machine prematurely.
Buzzing
Another common sound homeowners hear coming from their HVAC units is a buzzing noise. This sound can be tricky to diagnose because it could come from several places. The first is your unit’s compressor, which may buzz because of loose parts or because it’s wearing out. But a buzzing sound can also be caused by a loose part elsewhere in your unit vibrating, or even from a refrigerant leak. In any case, if you notice a buzzing sound and think it could be related to your HVAC unit, it’s a good idea to call the best 24 7 air conditioning repair Las Vegas has to offer to get it checked out.
Rattling or Banging
Some sounds, like a slight buzz or the occasional pop, are easy to ignore or even miss completely. This is especially true if your air conditioning unit is older, and tends to run loud. But a noisy rattling or loud banging is tougher to overlook.
Often, these disruptive noises are caused by either your furnace’s blower assembly or a motor. A broken part may begin to rattle inside or slam against the sides of your unit, causing the noise. Unlike other sounds, a rattling or banging often means that your unit is in need of immediate repair, or else it’s unlikely to continue heating or cooling your home for very long. In some cases, continuing to run the unit and ignoring the noise can lead to even more damage.
Booming
If you hear a loud or muffled “boom” when trying to turn on your HVAC unit, it’s likely that your pilot light or electronic ignition is failing. As a result, gas builds up within the combustion channel, and may suddenly light all at once, causing this loud noise.
Because your unit likely isn’t lighting, in addition to the noise, you’ll quickly notice that you’re not getting any heat as well, making it easy to spot this common problem — and easy to know when it’s time to call in the HVAC pros at Rakeman.
Clicking
A clicking furnace or air conditioner is another sound that’s easy to overlook and may be tough to diagnose. But as with any time that your air conditioner is making noise, it’s a good idea to get it checked out by a repair expert as soon as possible.
Some issues that may cause a clicking noise include a problem in the outside compressor or interior air handler. Within a furnace, a clicking sound could be caused by your ignition system malfunctioning as well.
Keep Your AC in Working Order With Help From Rakeman
Is your air conditioner making noise? Don’t ignore them and hope that they go away. Instead, call the best 24 7 air conditioning repair Las Vegas has to offer. The experts at Rakeman will get to the root of your HVAC troubles fast, so you can get back to enjoying a nice cool home, or avoid a more serious repair in the future.
Give us a call today to schedule your next service or inspection.
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