Just as people sneeze when suffering from allergies or a cold, your air conditioner will also display some common sounds when it doesn’t feel well. However, deciphering what is and isn’t a “bad” sound can be hard for the untrained ear, especially when it comes to identifying the need for air conditioning repairs.
To help you identify sounds that can indicate a developing problem, our Clean Air Act technicians have put together a list of some of the most common “problematic” sounds:
Hissing
Hissing can indicate a couple of serious things: the first is a refrigerant leak, and the second is an issue with your compressor. Refrigerant leaks can hiss because at certain parts during the cooling cycle, the refrigerant is under high pressure (you may also hear a bubbling sound with the hissing sound). If the hissing sound is coming from the compressor, you may have a leaky valve or the compressor itself may be malfunctioning. Both of these types of problems require timely professional repair.
Banging/Clunking
If your AC makes a sound or sounds akin to sneakers in a dryer, there is a very good chance something has come loose and is banging around your system. Typical components that do this are bent/loose fan blades and loose motor mounts. Having components bump around your system is never a good thing as they can cause damage, so once you hear that noise, call an expert.
Screeching
This is a very serious sound; if you hear it coming from your air conditioner, turn it off immediately and call your technician. Screeching sounds can indicate that the pressure inside your compressor is too high; a compressor under too much pressure can blow. Repairing compressors is not a DIY kind of job, especially when one is screeching. Instead, call a professional right away.
Making strange sounds is just one of the ways your air conditioner can tell you when something is wrong, so don’t ignore them. Most air conditioning problems do not repair themselves on their own, and the longer you let them go, the worse the problems can get. If you are hearing abnormal sounds coming from your air conditioner, call Clean Air Act now and let our trained experts help you with your air conditioning repair in Portland.