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5 Noises Coming From Your Air Conditioner That Could Mean Trouble

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Even when you take care of your air conditioner properly, you might still have some problems that are caused by dirt, old equipment or other factors beyond your control.

Your air conditioning unit needs regular maintenance – that’s a given. However, even when you take care of it properly, you might still have some problems that are caused by dirt, old equipment or other factors beyond your control. Usually, a diagnosis is needed when the machine starts performing poorly, but that can be hard to notice right away. More often, strange noises are the ones that give away an underlying problem.

A certain amount of noise is to be expected, though, especially with older AC units. However, if you think the noise is too loud or just strange, you might be onto something.

Here are the five most common strange noises your air conditioning unit may make.

Buzzing

Buzzing seems like quite a natural noise coming from an air conditioning unit since it has the fan working. But a loud buzzing sound should not be present, and you will surely notice if the frequency of the buzzing changes all of a sudden. Faulty electrical wiring causes loud buzzing in most cases.

Screeching

Screeching and high pitched sounds associated with the use of the air conditioner are most probably caused by the belt that is moving your fan. If it loses lubrication or is dried out and damaged, it will not move smoothly, causing screeching sounds. It must be replaced or simply lubricated.

Banging

Banging is one of the more concerning noises that can come out of an AC unit. Banging means that there is a foreign object or a loose part of the AC unit that is being thrown against the unit’s walls. It should definitely be checked by a professional before it causes more damage.

Rattling

Rattling is less serious than banging, but it usually leads to the latter if it is ignored. Any rattle you hear from the AC unit is often caused by a loose part that is misaligned. It will likely affect your machine’s performance and it can lead to more expensive repairs.

A “Wacking” Sound

Whacking sounds are most likely coming from debris being stuck in the fan or the motor of your unit. You should definitely clean the unit as soon as possible. Otherwise, the debris will travel further or wear out the motor until it collapses.

If your air conditioning unit makes one of these strange noises, it’s trying to tell you something. Most of the problems that cause these noises become worse if left unhandled. Give us a call today at (314) 471-7625 or contact us online. With proper maintenance at the right time, your machine should be able to last for many years before you will need to replace it with a newer model.

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