The Sound Tells You a Lot
Aircons are not silent, but they should be boring. A new noise is worth paying attention to, because some of them are a ten-minute fix and others mean the unit should be switched off before it damages itself further. Our Franschhoek aircon team can usually narrow it down from a description, and a short voice note of the sound often saves a call-out in Franschhoek.
What Each Noise Usually Means
A rattle or vibration is most often a loose cover, a mounting bracket that has worked free, or debris in the outdoor fan — cheap and quick. A buzzing or humming from outside with the fan not turning usually points to a failed capacitor or contactor. Clicking on start-up that does not lead to the unit running is electrical. A high-pitched screech or a metallic grinding from the outdoor unit is a failing fan motor bearing or the compressor itself, and that is the one to switch off and call about rather than keep running.
Gurgling, Hissing and Clicking
Not every noise is a fault. Gentle gurgling or a soft hiss as the unit starts and stops is refrigerant moving through the system and is entirely normal. Occasional clicking as plastic parts expand and contract is normal too. Continuous loud hissing, however, can mean refrigerant escaping, and that is worth checking properly.
