How to Quiet a Noisy Air Conditioner

Air conditioners can be loud. It doesn’t matter if you have a window air conditioner or a central AC, the noises can keep you up at night and interrupt your sleep. If you find yourself tossing and turning from the noise, it’s time to take some steps to quiet your environment. At TSS Home Comfort, we want everyone to get a peaceful night’s sleep. We’ve put together some information about how to quiet a noisy air conditioner to help you make your home more comfortable. 

How Loud is Your Air Conditioner?

If you are sensitive to sounds, you might be more bothered by a dog barking or a baby crying while ambient sounds might be more soothing than bothersome. You might even enjoy sleeping with a fan to drown out the silence. But sometimes the commotion that comes from an air conditioner can be more than just soft background noise. An AC can hit you with sounds that are more than 85 decibels. If you’ve ever studied sound, you’ll know that this is the threshold you need to stay below to keep from damaging your eardrums. 

Unless you are willing to wear ear protection 24/7, the best option is to find ways to repair your AC, replace your AC or stop the air conditioner. Your ears will thank you and so will your neighbors. 

Troubleshooting a Noisy Air Conditioner

An old air conditioner can make so much racket, it can sound like a one-man- marching-band. But when it’s 3:00 in the morning, you aren’t going to give it a standing ovation. Some sounds can come from a unit that needs to be repaired or replaced. Here are a few of the most common sounds that mean you should probably call for service. 

• Rattling Vents: Unless you have a portable air conditioner, your AC will need vents to get cold air to every room of the house. If the vents in your home are flapping, rattling, or squeaking, there is probably something blocking the airflow somewhere in the system. The source might be a dirty air filter or clogged registered. It might be that a damper has been knocked shut or the ductwork is blocked up. It’s easy to have these things checked out with someone at TSS Home Comfort. 
• Noisy Blower: Nothing can put your teeth on edge like a high-pitched squealing sound. A blower that’s breaking down or wearing out can make this sound. Plus there is a whole repertoire of other sounds that they can make like whirring and banging, so it’s best to get it looked at if you want to reduce AC noise in your apartment or house.
• Broken Compressor: If your outside AC unit is making loud noises, it might be your compressor. A broken compressor can mean a major repair or a replacement, so schedule service as soon as you can. 

Choosing a Quieter Air Conditioner

Some ACs are noisy even when there is nothing wrong. But when your air conditioner is so loud inside that you’re having trouble hearing the TV, it might not be the right AC for you. If you are thinking about buying a new central air conditioner, make sure you have help choosing something quiet. You want to be sure to never install something too big for your house. An AC’s loudest time is when the unit is turning on and off, so you don’t want a big system that cycles all the time. 

There are also plenty of ACs on the market that are much quieter than their older counterparts. You can get systems that are 60 decibels or lower to help save your ears. 

More Strategies for How to Quiet a Noisy Air Conditioner

“Why is my new AC so loud inside my house?” It’s a question we get a lot TSS Home Comfort from people who want a second opinion. If you’ve already had a new AC installed, and it is louder than you thought it would be, don’t worry. You can try a couple of these strategies to reduce noise from an outside air conditioner. 

The first thing you will want to try to quiet a noisy air conditioner is a compressor blanket. These can be put in by an HVAC tech to keep some of the sounds away. You can also try putting up other barriers around the outdoor unit like some tall plants or a fence. Just remember to keep them far enough away so they don’t affect how well it runs. 

Regular maintenance can also be one of the best ways to silence a noisy air conditioner. The sounds you are hearing might just be friction from unlubricated parts or rattling from loose screws. When you schedule a tune up every year you can be sure to keep it running as smoothly and quietly as possible. 

A noisy air conditioner can be more than just a pain. It can hurt your ears and keep you from resting. It’s time to take the next step to solve the problem and gain a little silence in your home! Whether your AC unit is not blowing cold air, too loud, or frozen, call TSS Home Comfort today!