Symptom
AC making a strange noise?
A new noise from an air conditioner usually points to a specific part. Buzzing or humming often means an electrical component such as a capacitor or contactor. Grinding or squealing usually means a motor or bearing. Rattling can be a loose panel or debris in the fan. If a noise is loud, metallic, or comes with a burning smell, switch the system off and call.
Soon. Grinding, screeching or loud banging can mean a part is failing and could damage others. Switch the system off and schedule service.
What usually causes this.
These are the common possibilities, not a diagnosis. A page cannot tell which one it is — that takes a technician testing the system.
- Outdoor unit
- Blower
- Buzzing or humming
- Commonly a failing capacitor, a worn contactor, or a motor struggling to start. A unit that hums without the fan turning shouldn't be left running.
- Grinding or screeching
- Worn motor bearings in the outdoor fan or indoor blower. It usually gets worse, and a seized motor can take other parts with it.
- Squealing
- A worn blower motor or, on older and commercial equipment, a slipping belt.
- Rattling
- Loose panels or screws, debris in the outdoor fan, or a fan blade out of balance.
- Repeated clicking
- A single click at start and stop is normal. Repeated clicking without the unit starting often points to an electrical or control problem.
- Banging or clanking
- Something loose or broken inside the unit, sometimes in the compressor. Switch off and call.
What you can safely check.
- Note exactly what the noise sounds like, where it comes from (indoor or outdoor), and when it happens — at start-up, during running, or at shut-off. That narrows diagnosis a lot.
- Look for sticks, leaves or debris in the top of the outdoor unit and clear anything you can reach from outside with the power off.
- Check that access panels on both units look fully fastened.
Leave these alone
- Removing the outdoor unit's top or fan guard.
- Oiling motors or tightening anything inside the cabinet.
- Running the system with a grinding, screeching or banging noise.
Call rather than book online if:
- The noise comes with a burning smell or smoke
- You hear loud banging, clanking or screeching
- The breaker trips
What we check when we get there.
In order, and every time — the point of a diagnostic is to find out which cause it is before anything is replaced.
- 01The technician listens with the system running, then tests the suspected component — capacitor, contactor, motor bearings, fan balance or compressor.
- 02A noise is often the early warning before a failure, so catching it can turn an emergency into a scheduled repair.
What it is likely to cost.
Electrical parts behind a buzz are usually inexpensive. Motors cost more, and compressor noise is a major repair. You get the price before any work.
- Diagnostic / service call
- $89
- Capacitor replacement
- From $179
- Contactor replacement
- From $189
- Condenser fan motor
- $449–$799
- Blower motor
- $549–$1,099
Prices are starting points for standard work in the Savannah area. Final price depends on the system and site, and is confirmed before work begins. Permits and code-required upgrades may be additional.
Questions people ask about this.
- Is a buzzing AC dangerous?
- A brief hum at start-up is normal. Persistent loud buzzing, especially with the fan not turning, can mean an electrical part is failing. Switch it off and have it checked.
- My AC clicks but won't start. What is it?
- Often the contactor or capacitor, or the thermostat calling but a safety control stopping the start. It needs testing.
Work out the decision:Repair or Replace?
The service that fixes it.
Air Conditioning Repair is the work behind this symptom. Its page covers what is involved, how it is quoted and what we stand behind.
Symptoms that sit next to it.
Systems rarely fail in one way only. If one of these is also true, say so when you book — it narrows the diagnosis before anyone arrives.
Air conditioner not cooling, not starting, freezing up, leaking or making noise.
- AC running but not coolingAn air conditioner can run without cooling properly when airflow is restricted, the indoor coil has frozen, a component has failed, or the refrigerant charge is low because of a leak.
- AC won't turn onWhen an air conditioner won't turn on at all, the cause is usually power, the thermostat, a safety switch that has shut the system off (often a full condensate drain), or a failed electrical component such as a capacitor or contactor.
- AC frozen / iced upIce on an air conditioner's copper lines or indoor coil almost always means the coil is getting too cold — usually because airflow across it is restricted, or because the refrigerant charge is low from a leak.
- AC leaking waterAn air conditioner leaking water indoors is usually a blocked condensate drain, an overflowing or cracked drain pan, or a frozen coil melting.
- Outdoor unit not runningIf the indoor fan is blowing but the outdoor unit isn't running, the house gets moving air without cooling.
Not sure which it is?Describe it to the assistant
Everything else we are called about.
The whole index, in three groups.
HUMIDITY, AIRFLOW & ENERGY BILLS
House feels humid or dampSome rooms too hot or coldPower bill suddenly higher
Get it looked at.
We cover Savannah, the Coastal Empire and the South Carolina Lowcountry. Tell us what the system is doing — you do not need to know the cause. The diagnostic price is given to you before the visit, and the repair price before any work starts.
No heat, or no cooling at all?Call rather than send a request — (912) 858-3737 is answered around the clock.