If you live in the Kansas City area, you may have a hard time dealing with the summer heat that comes after a long winter. Keeping your air conditioner working well all summer can be a big source of relief. If you can hear a strange noise coming from the A/C, however, you should try to identify the problem and perhaps address it yourself. If you can’t fix the problem, at least you’ll be able to tell your technician what the probable issue involves.

For example, you may notice a buzzing noise coming from your A/C, and this could indicate an problem with the compressor, a motor or starting components.

A recurring buzzing that comes from the exterior condensing unit indicates that the compressor may be failing to start, an issue often caused by the compressor motor seizing up. Another source of the problem could be the electrical relay or a problem with the start-run capacitor. Any noises coming from the electrical component should be dealt with immediately by an HVAC professional, as continuing it unaddressed could cause serious damage to your equipment.

Hissing noises may be heard coming from your system, and these are commonly associated with a refrigerant leak. Refrigerant that is leaking can be dangerous, so caution should be taken. A loss of refrigerant can also result in low system efficiency or the breakdown of your cooling system. During routine A/C maintenance checks, the technician can check the refrigerant pressures and make sure that systems is operating at normal pressure thus ruling out a refrigerant leak. The sound of air leakage may be a can be  caused by improper fitted or unsealed ductwork. Leaky ducting reduces energy efficiency, and will force your cooling system to work harder than necessary.

Any new or unusual noises need to be investigated quickly to minimize performance or break down issues. Some noises heard can be a simple fix that prevent larger problems and unnecessary disruptions. .

For any questions about a strange noise coming from the A/C, please contact us at Overland Park Heating and Cooling. We offer home and commercial HVAC services in the Kansas City area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Overland Park, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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