A noisy air conditioner can be a real nuisance. It can keep you awake all night when all you wanted was to stay cool! If your AC is making a lot of noise, you should call an HVAC contractor and arrange for them to fix it. There are a few different repairs they might make, depending on the exact nature of what's ailing your AC unit.

Tightening Loose Bolts

Your air conditioner has a lot of moving parts and pieces, and many of them are held together by bolts. Sometimes, one or more of these bolts may loosen, allowing a piece to rattle around. The rattling can cause other bolts and parts to loosen, so the AC unit grows noisier and noisier over time. If your AC contractor finds this is the case with your AC unit, they can simply tighten the loose bolts. If any of the bolts are damaged, they'll simply replace them. They cost a few dollars each, at most.

Replacing the Fan Belt

After your AC cools the air, the air is blown into your ducts by a component called the blower or fan. This part of your AC has a motor that is driven by a belt. That belt can fray or become worn. When this occurs, your AC may start making a squealing or squeaking sound. An experienced HVAC contractor can listen to an AC with this problem and immediately tell you what's wrong – the sound is that distinct. Replacing the fan belt is a more extensive repair than tightening some bolts, but it's still a rather minor repair. Your HVAC contractor can take the motor apart, put a new belt in place, and reassemble everything within a few hours.

Electrical Wiring Problems

Would you describe the noise your AC is making as buzzing or humming? Often, this points to a problem with the wiring. A wire or two, either in the AC unit or leading to it, may be vibrating. It could be resting against another wire, too. An HVAC contractor may need to re-secure some of the wires in your AC unit. Or, they may need to replace some of the wiring in the walls that lead to the unit.

If your AC unit is keeping you up at night with its noises, it's time to call a local AC repair team. Luckily, most issues that make an AC unit noisy are easy to fix.