Air conditioners are complicated systems that rely on many different parts, which includes a compressor, evaporator coil, condenser coil and refrigerant to regulate your home’s temperature and humidity level. While these machines are typically strong and reliable, it’s not unusual for AC units to make strange sounds, which may indicate that something is awry. One such sound is dripping, gurgling, bubbling or running water. These distressing noises can be traced back to several causes.
This is an often reported air conditioner sound you could hear on hot, humid days and is no cause for alarm. Simple condensation buildup is most likely to blame. As your air conditioner functions, moisture from the interior air accumulates on the evaporator coil and drips into the drain pan beneath it. This pan is meant to collect and move the condensed water a safe distance away from your home via a drain line.
Although, if the drain becomes blocked or broken, water can accumulate in the pan, leading to a dripping or splashing noise as freshly collected condensate drips into the pool underneath. If the dripping noise becomes an annoyance, locate the drain pan under the indoor portion of your air conditioner and clear it.
Also, take AC dripping sounds as a signal that the condensate drain line is plugged and must be cleared. A float switch ought to automatically shut off your conditioner before the drain pan overflows and creates water damage, but the float switch could always break. Plus, if your AC keeps turning itself off because of a full drain pan, you’ll be forced to solve the problem before your unit will run normally again.
While air conditioners make condensate as a component of the cooling process, they do not run on or use water. What this means is your AC should never sound like running water. If you hear this noise, it might mean the evaporator coil has frozen over and is now thawing and dripping water onto the ground.
This can develop for a few reasons, including:
Refrigerant is a crucial component of the cooling process. If a leak has formed or air gets stuck in the refrigerant line, you may hear gurgling or bubbling as the refrigerant flows. Along those same lines, your system could possibly gurgle because of overcharged refrigerant. Always leave AC service work to a professional who can verify the right refrigerant charge.
A hissing noise from your air conditioner could indicate one of these malfunctions:
If you hear a sound similar to running water from your air conditioner, take steps to determine and address the cause to stop further damage. Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can detect and repair any issue causing your AC to sound like running water, whether that’s condensation buildup, a refrigerant leak, a plugged drain line or a frozen evaporator coil. Each and every AC repair comes with a one-year 100% satisfaction guarantee! To learn more or set up a repair estimate, please contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.
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