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.cost to repair ac in car As you gear up for cold weather, do you experience a potent smell when you turn on your heater? gas heating units for homeVisit this blog post for simple DIY ways to identify and fix the odor(s) before the Winter hits!how much does a wall ac unit cost 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! And if your AC unit smells funny when you turn it on? Click here for our input! Or click HERE if it’s leaking!It is a big deal when the air conditioning goes out on a hot summer day, but there is no need to wait for help to come to you.  Many air conditioning malfunctions are not difficult to identify and repair.  The following test procedure will help you identify if the problem with your outdoor unit is the fan motor, the capacitor, or the contactor.

Troubleshooting the “outdoor air conditioner unit not running” starts with some easy commonsense steps:Section A; you can hear the a/c compressor running and the fan motor is not turning.Because the compressor is running you know there is 220 volts power to the outdoor unit and you know the contactor is doing its job of delivering that 220 volts to the compressor and to the motor.  The malfunction will be a bad capacitor and/or a bad motor. Capacitors can be tested with multi-meters that have the ability to read microfarads or you can take your capacitor (and your motor) to your nearest U-FIX-IT store for a free bench test.  If the capacitor tests good then your motor is bad.Caution – Capacitors can store an electric charge (like a battery).  The shock hazard is non-lethal, but it is no fun.   Check the 220 volt power is off and discharge the capacitor by shorting between capacitor terminals (with insulated screwdriver) before removing the wires from the terminals.you cannot hear the a/c compressor running and the fan motor is not turning. 

Your next troubleshooting step will be checking the 220 volt power because it is highly unlikely both the compressor and the fan motor would fail at the same time.  Failure of the contactor (see picture above) most often produces this symptom.  You can prove the contactor is the problem by using a multi-meter or you can take your contactor to your nearest U-FIX-IT store for a free bench test.Testing the contactor on air conditioner outdoor unitCaution: use care when measuring live voltages not to touch bare connections or short them to the cabinet or to other terminals with the meter probes.Part Request Part Number or Description*Email* More From Jim PlummerJim is an ex-Air Force pilot and a business school graduate of University of Texas at Austin. He has been in the appliance parts business since 1975.Think of portable air conditioners as the cooling choice of last resort. They’re better than a fan but not much. That’s what Consumer Reports discovered in its tests of eight portable air conditioners that, despite their claims, barely got a room below sweltering let alone the 78 degrees that’s considered the upper threshold of indoor comfort.

Portable air conditioners are intended for homes in which window configurations or building regulations prevent installation of window units. But getting one is a compromise you may not want to make because they’re typically bigger, noisier, more expensive, and use more energy. In fact, retailers report that many portable air conditioners are returned each season by dissatisfied customers. Unlike a window air conditioner, all the mechanical parts of a portable air conditioner are sitting in the room you’re trying to cool. This contributes to the noise and less-than-capable cooling, as the portable unit is using conditioned air from the room to cool the condenser and exhausts the hot air out an ungainly exhaust hose that resembles a dryer vent. That creates negative pressure causing unconditioned warm air from surrounding rooms or outdoors to be drawn into the room you’re trying keep cool. And it’s debatable how portable they are, since once the hose is connected to the kit in the window, you won’t want to move the unit, especially since they typically weigh 50 to 80 pounds.

While they do have wheels, portable air conditioners can be difficult to roll on carpets and over raised thresholds between rooms.  They also need their space—the hose is 5 to 7 feet long and the air conditioner must be positioned away from any walls or furniture that may block its airflow. In our tests, we measured how long it takes a portable air conditioner to lower the temperature in a room appropriate for its claimed size from 90 degrees to 75. But few made it to even 80 after 100 minutes. None made our list of recommended air conditioners but if you have no alternative, consider the Friedrich ZoneAir P12B, $600. While only fair at cooling, it was a champ in our tests simulating brownout conditions, as were 10 other models. While we test portable air conditioners the same way we test window units, most manufacturers don’t. The Department of Energy is reviewing the current industry test for portable air conditioner capacity and efficiency. The current test doesn’t account for what is often significant leakage and transfer of hot air into the space being cooled.

One alternative being investigated by the DOE is that the industry adopt the window air conditioner test for portables as well, because it more accurately measures actual cooling. This would make it easier for consumers to compare portable and window air conditioners. don’t assume that a portable air conditioner rated at 5,000 to 15,000 British Thermal Units will cool like similarly rated window models. If a portable is your only choiceAll portables come with a kit that you install in a window. Make sure all your connections are tight and seal any air gaps. Get a ceiling fan. Create a cool breeze by running a ceiling fan.Close the curtains and shades to keep the sun from overheating your room. The best window A/Cs from our tests When buying a window air conditioner, make sure you get the right size air conditioner for your room. Too small and you’ll be uncomfortable, too big and your room will cool too quickly without removing enough moisture from the air, leaving you cold and clammy.