Is Your AC Hissing?

woman signaling that she can't hear something

I Hear a Hissing Sound from My Air Conditioner. What’s Wrong?

Anytime you hear an unusual sound from your air conditioner, it’s time to call for professional service immediately. Air conditioners are made up of several parts that all must be in proper working order if you want an efficient system that can get your home to the desired temperature. And strange noises often indicate a serious problem. Not only are your energy bills at risk of increasing, components of your system may begin to fail and need a costly replacement. One of the most serious of these noises is a hissing sound.

So, What Is The Cause?

A hissing sound usually indicates that refrigerant is leaking from your unit. The chemical blend refrigerant continuously cycles through your system, undergoing phase conversions as it absorbs heat from the air inside and releases this heat outdoors. Without the proper levels of refrigerant, your system may struggle to cool your home. The reduced cooling capacity is only a part of the problem. Other components of your AC must work harder to keep up when refrigerant is low, which means parts may wear down sooner than they should.

You may hear a hissing sound at any point along the refrigerant line. But if you hear hissing in the outside condenser unit of your air conditioner, it may mean that compressed refrigerant is leaking from the compressor. The compressor changes refrigerant into a high–pressure gas so that it can pump through the entire unit. If there is a leak it this complex component, it may need replacement.

But It’s My Heat Pump That’s Hissing.

If you own a heat pump, the hissing noise may be coming from the reversal valve. A heat pump is able to heat and cool your home because of this valve, which allows refrigerant to flow in the opposite direction. If this part is at fault, you will need professional repairs.

Often, refrigerant may leak because of a loose connection or corrosion somewhere on the refrigerant line. Only a skilled contractor is qualified to handle refrigerant, so you’ll need a technician to both dispose of the leaking refrigerant and determine how much must be added. For air conditioning repairs in Jacksonville, FL trust the team of professional, factory-trained technicians at AC Designs Inc. Give us a call today to schedule your next appointment.