Mt. Juliet HVAC systems get noisier with age, and heat pumps are no exception. If you have a noisy heat pump, it could be caused by many things. Loud noises that occur suddenly tend to be more serious than noises that develop gradually over time. Here are three common noises and what they mean.
Loud Scraping Noises
Scraping usually means that something is loose. The blower wheel may have detached from the motor shaft, shifted position or is knocking against the blower housing. Your service technician may be able to return the blower wheel to its original position and reattach it to the motor. If the scraping noise is especially loud, the blower wheel or the motor mount may be broken and need replacement. Also, the motor and blower wheel may have dropped, and the blower wheel is scraping against the housing of the unit.
Squealing Noises
Squealing can mean that the compressor is placing too much pressure on the refrigerant and is raising the operating temperature of the system. This could prevent the unit from operating efficiently and interfere with indoor comfort. Squealing could also indicate a motor that’s going bad.
Banging and Clanging
Banging and clanging that sounds like metal against metal may mean that the fan blades are hitting something. The outcome could be dents in the fan blades, motor damage or other damage. If the fan hits the refrigerant tubing, it could create a leak. Don’t continue to operate the unit. Otherwise the fan blades, motor, motor mounts, compressor bearings or the whole outdoor unit might need replacement.
Noisy heat pumps are a sign of trouble. They should be turned off and checked by a professional to prevent further damage to the system. If you’re concerned about a noisy heat pump, call Bentley’s Air Conditioning today for 24/7 emergency heat pump repair.