Your air conditioner’s compressor has a very important task: it compresses the refrigerant into a hot gas, which allows heat from your home to be released to the air outside. Without a properly working compressor, it would be impossible for your air conditioner to cool your home. So if your compressor (located in your outside unit) begins to make strange noises, you should be able to recognize them and know when to give Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning a call. Today we’re going to talk about a few of the most common air conditioner compressor noises and what they might say about the condition of your system!
Common air conditioner compressor noises
- Banging or clanking: Banging and clanking are noises that are most often heard due to a loose part somewhere in your compressor. Several different parts could be to blame, such as the motor’s mount becoming loose.
- Hissing: If your cooling system has a refrigerant leak, the leak might start to produce a hissing sound that sounds like it’s coming from your compressor. Refrigerant leaks produce all kinds of air conditioning problems, including many that affect the performance of your compressor.
- Buzzing: A buzzing noise from your compressor (or anywhere else in your cooling system) is often the result of some kind of electrical problem. These problems can include loose wiring or issues with your system’s electrical controls or relay switches.
- Humming: A failing start capacitor in a compressor can create a variety of different noises, one of the most common of which is a loud humming.
- Screaming or whining: If your compressor is making loud screaming or whining sounds, it could have an issue with its internal pressure. This is one of the most serious compressor noises, and it should be taken care of as soon as possible.
Know when to call Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning about air conditioner compressor noises
Any time that your air conditioner’s compressor starts to make noises that you haven’t heard before, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning right away. Whether the noise is one of the ones we listed above or it’s an entirely different sound, it almost always means that your compressor needs a thorough and professional inspection.
The types of repairs that we’ll need to perform on your compressor might be as simple as tightening loose parts or adding a bit of lubrication, or it might be as severe as requiring a replacement of the entire compressor. The sooner you contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, the quicker we’ll be able to diagnose and fix the problem, and the less likely it will be that the issue will affect other parts of your system.
If you have any questions about air conditioner compressor noise, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, your St. Charles, MO, air conditioning contractor. We service the St. Louis area, including towns like St. Peters, Town and Country, and Weldon Spring, MO.
photo credit: David J. Thomas via photopin cc
