What Those Weird Air Conditioner Noises Mean

As you start to rely on your air conditioner more and more often this summer, you may start to notice strange noises coming from it. If you do happen to hear unusual noises coming from your air conditioner, you should call for repairs right away. Strange noises tend to indicate some kind of problem with the system. Read on to find out more about what causes different air conditioner noises, and the damage those problems can cause.

Grinding

Your air conditioner circulates air by using a part called the air handler. The air handler is basically a large motor with a fan attached to it. Moving large amounts of air throughout the house creates a lot of friction on the system, so to compensate, it’s equipped with oiled bearings. These bearings wear down over time, producing a loud grinding sound. If you hear that sound, you need to call for repairs right away. If the bearings aren’t replaced, the friction on the system will increase until it eventually burns itself out.

Bubbling/Hissing

Bubbling, gurgling, and hissing sounds are typically caused by air bubbles in the refrigerant line, which is pretty bad news. Air conditioners are meant to use a single “charge” of refrigerant for their entire lifespans; they shouldn’t ever need a refill. If there are air bubbles in the refrigerant line, though, that means that you probably have a leak somewhere in the system. A refrigerant leak will drain the air conditioner of all the fluid it needs to operate, causing a slow decline in output eventually culminating in a complete system breakdown. Call for repairs as soon as you hear this.

Bell Plumbing and Heating offers air conditioning repair services throughout Denver, CO. If you need air conditioning services of any kind, call today to schedule an appointment with one of our technicians.