Why is My AC Unit Making a Squealing Noise? When transitioning from winter to spring weather, it could mean any number of things when your air conditioning unit needs some routine maintenance. With our last post, we walked you through necessary steps to take in preparing your outdoor AC unit for the more regular usage that the weather shift requires. Cleaning and maintaining is one thing, but what if after all that there is still a high-pitched squealing noise? It’s highly more likely that you’ll experience this in the spring, as your compressor/capacitor has been exposed to the winter elements for months at a time (including ice). What could this sound mean and is there an easy way to fix it? If you’re experiencing this issue, it is likely one of three things: the bearings on your condenser fan’s motor, the belt connecting the motor to the blower has slipped, or it’s actually not a problem at all. Here are a few tips to help diagnose the problem and a pointer on how to fix your noisy AC unit.

If it’s not a problem – Many units emit a slight squeal under normal operation. This is especially the case when, at this point in the year, it has been sitting for several months and just needs to work out its kinks. A good indication that this is in fact the case is the brevity of the noise. If it’s nothing to worry about then the noise will be slight and only last for a few minutes. If it’s any longer than a few moments and any louder than ‘slight,’ then you should investigate other causes (see below).voltas ac outdoor unit If it’s the belt connecting the motor to the blower – Most newer units do away with the belt system. 1.5 ton ac equal to kwIf you have an older unit and happen to know that it is belt driven, then the issue is more than likely that the belts have been worn over the years and have slipped. car air conditioning repair gilbert az

You’ll hear this noise both outside and coming through the vents inside your home. If this is indeed the cause, your next step would be to replace the belt or call us. If it’s the bearings attached to your unit’s condenser fan – All newer units have direct-drive motors (meaning no belts). These sorts of units use a fan to draw air across the condenser coils located inside of your compressor. If you have a direct-drive motor then you will hear the squealing or grinding coming from your outside unit. This means that the bearings on the fan motor are shot and the motor will need to be replaced. We strongly urge you not to fix this on your own as it could increase the amount of damage to your compressor, resulting in a more costly fix. As you gear up for cold weather, do you experience a potent smell when you turn on your heater? Visit this blog post for simple DIY ways to identify and fix the odor(s) before the Winter hits! Using a motor lubricant or spray lubricant on the motor shaft to temporarily relieve the noise is a temporary fix.

This, however, is NOT a permanent fix and the problem should be tended to by a professional as soon as possible. Your HVAC (AC) unit could be overworked! There are several reasons that this could be the case. Most commonly it is working too hard to decrease the humidity level inside of your home. Click here to learn from us how to decrease your in-home humidity level. We offer whole home dehumidifiers which will significantly decrease its level as well as lengthen the life of your AC unit! That’s where we come in! Schedule an appointment with BR McGinty today to get your AC unit in proper working condition for the spring! And if your AC unit smells funny when you turn it on? Click here for our input! Or click HERE if it’s leaking! Please register to participate in our discussions with 1.5 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.

756 posts, read 3,184,116 times 14,097 posts, read 19,232,707 times 3,020 posts, read 20,412,057 times More than likely it is the capacitor.............. 27,825 posts, read 27,796,107 times Yeah, if you don't know the basics about electrics 1 posts, read 234,496 times 2 posts, read 160,216 times 108,154 posts, read 40,891,666 times Originally Posted by basselghassani It's a good possibility the capacitor is bad and the compressor is attempting to start. If the compressor and fan share a combination capacitor it could be bad and affecting both. Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.Air conditioner or heat pump noise diagnosis & cure: HVAC systems can produce a stunning range of noises many of which can help lead quickly to the trouble source and thus can help tell us what repair is needed.

This air conditioning repair article discusses the diagnosis and repair of air conditioning compressor noises which range in importance from normal (if annoying squeaks and squeals, to rattling loose bolts and hardware, to shrieking and howling or death-rattles that sometimes (not always) presage costly compressor damage indicating air conditioning compressor or A/C compressors at or near end of their life. In the A/C system noise diagnosis article below we discuss how we approach listening to and interpreting noises coming from an air conditioning or heat pump system. This article discusses how to diagnose & repair air conditioning compressor noises from the compressor/condenser, air handler, duct work, filters, or controls If your air conditioning or heat pump system has lost its cooling capacity or won't start see REPAIR GUIDE for AIR CONDITIONERS. See HOW to DETERMINE COOLING CAPACITY of air conditioning equipment if the system seems to be working but is inadequate to cool your building.

Contact us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution. If you hear unusual noise at the air conditioning system, these compressor sounds could indicate the need for a simple service and adjustment requirement. But air conditioner compressor noises might also mean that you face an upcoming costly repair involving replacement of the compressor itself. You should have the system checked promptly by an air conditioning service technician. The following is a list of air conditioning compressor noises and what they may mean about the operation, condition, and remaining life of the cooling system equipment. I have a National comfort Products CPO 2464-B unit which is an air conditioner and gas heating unit combined. The unit is about 5 years old. The air conditioner had become increasingly noisy. I called the party that installed the unit. After spending $90.00 for a service call I was informed the the external coils were dirty, opening up the unit light was not visible thru the coils.

I was advised to use a garden hose and rinse the coils. I did not have that available so I turned the unit on and using a watering can, poured warm soapy water onto the coils. this was done several times. the unit now seems to work properly. I did not see this particular problem described on your website. There may be other means of cleaning the coils but this was all I could think of. - C.A.P., Norristown PA Fujitsu has offered some helpful advice in troubleshooting noises that may be heard at the indoor wall-mounted air handler of a split system air conditioner or heat pump. What's particularly helpful is that Fujitsu points out that some noises that people worry about are actually normal and not an indication of trouble. Here are some other noise or sound diagnostic clues for split system air conditioners & heat pumps Continue reading at NOISES, HVAC SOUND DESCRIPTIONS or select a topic from the More Reading links or topic ARTICLE INDEX shown below. Or see HVAC SYSTEM NOISE DIAGNOSIS FAQs