What to do in the case you have a noisy air conditioner, what are the noises they can make and what can be the cause of such noises.
Do you have an air conditioner that seems to be bothering you with the level of noise it is producing? A loud air conditioner will not be ideal, especially if all you are trying to do is to cool down on the hottest of summer days.
It is not news that some air conditioners naturally produce some sound in their operation, but at times, noise levels can be intolerable, especially if the unit is not meant to be emitting the level of noise it is giving off. There are ways, however, to resolve the issue or reduce it.
What are some of the noises that an air conditioner could be making?
There are a variety of noises that air conditioners can make to drive you crazy, as they are often not pleasant to constantly sit through. An air conditioner could be making a banging noise, which is typically an indication that one of the components of the unit might be broken or may not be sitting in place properly.
This could be a connecting rod or piston pin situated in the compressor. Another reason could be the blower inside your home being uneven. Banging could also be a sign for a new compressor.
A buzzing noise coming from the outside unit could be indicative of a number of things, including loose components, a build-up of dirt in one of the units inside or outside, the outside unit fan motor might have failed or become loose, or the blades of the fan might have also become loose or gone uneven.
The copper lines could be causing friction against something, the unit’s condenser coil may need to be checked and cleaned, the air filter could need to be changed, the blower could be out of balance or there could be some refrigerant leaking causing the unit to freeze up.
Squealing noises could mean that something is wrong with either the blower or the fan and are being emitted through the duct system of the unit. Fan motors and indoor blowers tend to make squealing noises when they are no longer in good condition and are malfunctioning.
If an air conditioner is making a high-pitched whistling or screaming noise, this is cause for immediate professional assistance. You would need to turn the unit off completely as the reason, be it a refrigerant leak or increased internal pressure from the compressor could both mean danger.
How can you resolve or reduce the noise of an air conditioner?
If you have called in a professional who has not found anything out of the ordinary to be wrong with your air conditioner, then in order to reduce the noise being produced by your air conditioner, you could purchase a sound blanket.
This is because most times when your unit is producing noise, it could most likely be from the compressor. You can take off the top of the outdoor unit and fit in a sound blanket, covering the compressor to reduce the sound.
Something else to do is to fit in some sound-dampening fencing around your air conditioner. This can conceal the outdoor unit entirely and can be aesthetically pleasing.
To achieve good sound dampening, you would need to make use of a fencing material containing overlapping boards and be sure to place the fence three feet away from the air conditioner, to allow for air to flow properly and not cause further issues.
Another way to ensure that you reduce the level of noise an air conditioner is making is to make sure that you do not place it between brick walls or reflective surfaces, which can often produce echoing and increased noise. You could also install the unit as far away from living areas and spaces where you will hear the air conditioner as it runs.
What is important to note about a noisy air conditioner?
Air conditioners will tend to get noisier the older they get, so take this into consideration too. If you have an older version of an air conditioner, it might produce some noise as the latest versions tend to be quieter now.
Noise coming from a compressor will often indicate time for a replacement. There could be important components of your unit that need to be cleaned or if need be, the unit may need to be replaced completely.
Either way, noisy air conditioners are never pleasant but there are ways to resolve it.