Hearing Unfamiliar Noises From Your Residential AC System? Potential Repair Issues To Consider

Blog

In most households, the softly humming sounds made by the air conditioning system serve as comforting reassurance that the cooling system is working and the home will continue to be a comfortable refuge from summer's heat. If strange noises begin to take the place of that familiar humming noise, however, repair issues may soon follow. 

Homeowners who are feeling unsettled about some of the sounds their air conditioning system is emitting can use the following information to help them determine the likely cause and develop the best plan for addressing it. 

Screeches and squeals

A residential air conditioning system uses a blower system with belts, pulleys, and bearings to move the cooled air through the ducts and vents to cool the house. Since these components must operate each time the blower assembly turns on, they are subject to almost constant strain and wear. Over time, belts stretch or begin to fray, pulleys begin to loosen, and bearings become worn. As these components develop wear, noises begin to become noticeable during their operation. Homeowners who notice screeches or squeals will want to contact a reputable air conditioning repair contractor to inspect the blower assembly components and adjust or replace them as needed. 

Whistling and hissing 

Noises that sound like whistling or hissing sounds are often associated with the development of an air leak somewhere in the system, such as those that might occur from ill-fitting vent covers or filters or when ducts have become damaged and developed a leak. Homeowners can try checking to see if the filter is correct and properly inserted and if all vent covers are correctly attached. Likewise, if the noise is related to loose seams or small holes in the ducts, covering the damaged area with special duct repair tape may be enough to provide a temporary cure until you can schedule a repair visit with your AC repair service technician. 

However, homeowners who are hearing a sudden or rapidly worsening high-pitched whistling sound may be hearing sounds associated with a faulty valve that is causing refrigerant pressure to build to unsafe levels. Operating the system with a refrigerant pressure issue could risk further damage to air conditioning components, including the compressor, or put occupants of the home at risk of exposure to the refrigerant should a leak occur. 

Homeowners who notice any unusual sounds from their cooling system will want to discuss them with a reputable air conditioning repair contractor as soon as possible. Contact an AC repair service for more information. 

Share

15 September 2021

Cool off Your AC Bill

Every summer, I agonized over energy bills that would shoot into the stratosphere as a result of my efforts to keep cool in the heat. Every time I turned the temperature down, my bills increased. This summer, I decided to take some of the control over my energy bill back. I installed reflective film on my windows that reduced the amount of light and heat coming into the house. I started serving more cold meals or asking my husband to barbecue outside, so that my air conditioner didn't have to compete with the hot stove, and I started doing laundry at night to reduce appliance heat in the house at peak times. I also had ceiling fans installed. So far, the difference in my bill has been tremendous. This blog is a way for me to explore other ways to reduce energy drain during the summer months.