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). If it’s the belt connecting the motor to the blower – Most newer units do away with the belt system. If 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. 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!home ac condenser clicking And if your AC unit smells funny when you turn it on? swedish auto repair tampa flClick here for our input! free standing air conditioner at walmartOr click HERE if it’s leaking!PRODUCTS & SERVICES TOP Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Daikin leverages its experience and technology to deliver air conditioning solutions that meet the demands of any setting.

Air to Water Heat Pump Systems Training & Technical Support Pioneering Fluorine Technology Providing Solutions for Life Utilizing IPM motor and inverter technology for greater energy savingsCapacitor Failure Symptoms are sometime harder to identify without the right tools and expertise. Capacitors can be found in several different sizes and shapes. There may be one or multiple capacitors included in your ac with regards to the design. While the most popular capacitors are the types found on circuit boards, the ones most associated with air conditioning will be the bigger capacitors that assist start and run your motors. There are several motors present in an conditioner and heater systems: Compressor Motor Run Capacitor: Here is the most popular capacitor that fails. Most of the time these are duel capacitors, which means that there are 2 capacitors built into one. A duel capacitor will have three terminals on the top where a single capacitor will simply have two terminals on top.

Outside Fan Motor Run Capacitor: That is the smaller capacitor found with or part of the Compressor Motor Capacitor. It helps start and run the outside fan that blows air through the outside coils. Indoor Blower Motor Run Capacitor: Similar to the outdoor fan motor capacitor, it is a small, single (two terminals) capacitor that will help start and run the indoor blower motor. Start Capacitor: Some models include an auxiliary start capacitor that helps jump start the motors. Most are found on the compressor. These are less common. Why do capacitors go bad When capacitors go south, they either go out entirely or they decline in strength. The decline is measured in the “capacitance” units called micro farads. When the capacitors are produced, they are labeled with their specifications capacitance and a range +/- from the design capacitance. This range is the allowable operating range, usually labeled in a percentage range, for the capacitor. If the capacitor starts to fail, the capacitance measured will be outside of the labeled range.