Air Conditioner Buzz

Why Is My AC Making a Buzzing Noise?

September 24, 2020

Life in Florida can be pretty sweet, but it is sometimes uncomfortably hot. Whether you have been working outside all day or just lounging by the pool, you rely on your air conditioning unit to keep your home cool and comfortable. No matter how hot it is outside, you know that a refreshing blast of cold air awaits you on the other side of your front door.

When your air conditioning system is running smoothly, you might even forget that it is there. You know, of course, that your AC unit is cooling your home and keeping your family comfortable, but over time it merely blends into the background – that is, until something goes wrong.

If your previously silent AC unit is now emitting a loud buzzing noise, you need to find the cause and do it without delay. Like so many home repairs, the longer you wait, the more complex and costly the repairs will be. If you want to get to the heart of your AC unit buzzing sound, consider the possible causes.

Electrical Relay

If your outside AC unit is making a buzzing sound, the most likely culprit is an electrical relay issue. Your AC system is made up of several complex electrical parts, and over time they can become less reliable and start to break down.

Some of the most common electrical components responsible for a buzzing AC unit include the contactor relay switch, a small low voltage switch that connects to the thermostat, and the condenser fan motor. If you want to diagnose the problem on your own, listening carefully can help you narrow down the possibilities.

Refrigerant Leaks

A home air conditioning system can get too cold; this happens fairly frequently. If your AC unit freezes up, it will stop working and start emitting a loud buzzing noise.

If your AC unit is frozen, turn it off for a few minutes, then start it back up again. It should begin working again momentarily, but it is essential to monitor the system for a recurrence. If the AC unit freezes up regularly, you probably have a refrigerant leak, and you will need to contact a technician to isolate and repair that leak.

Loose Parts

Even the smallest and simplest home air conditioning unit is composed of dozens of individual parts. All of those parts are working in conjunction with one another, and when all is going well, the system is silent.

Over time, however, some of those parts can become loose, and when they make a buzzing sound is often the result. Once again, you can use your own two ears and your keen sense of hearing and perhaps isolate the AC unit’s part with the problem.

It is easy to take your air conditioning unit for granted, especially when working the way it is supposed to. When your AC unit is humming along doing its job, you can sit back and enjoy the blasts of refreshing cold air. But when something goes wrong, you may have to put on your sleuthing cap, listening carefully for things like loose parts, rattling connections, and annoying buzzes. And now that you know what can cause a buzzing noise, you can work to get the AC unit repaired as quickly and efficiently as possible.

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