You're enjoying an afternoon with your favorite movie, but you can't hear the dialogue over one or more different noises coming through your home's vents. Each sound indicates a different type of problem that your HVAC system is facing, and some are more severe than others. Figuring out the potential problem behind each type of sound can help you to determine how urgent it is for you to find someone who can service your system.

Banging Sounds

Banging sounds are disturbing for most homeowners because they stop and start with seemingly little connection to what is happening with the AC or heating. Banging sounds often mean that the fan inside the compressor has bent blades or is off center. This can cause problems with the motor stopping and starting properly as well, leading to short cycling or running constantly. The banging is usually rhythmic, simply because the bent or off center parts hit on one side but not the other. As the problem continues, the banging becomes louder and may change rhythm as the parts become even more off center.

Rattling Sounds

Rattling sounds most often indicate that the motor inside the HVAC unit is failing. This can happen when shafts do not rotate evenly any longer, and parts rub together that are not supposed to. If motor mounts are failing, those can contribute to the rattling as well. If caught early, though, repairing those motor mounts can resolve the rattling without the motor itself failing. Left too long, rattling becomes louder until the unit stops functioning altogether.

Squeaking Sounds

Squeaks are usually softer than other types of HVAC sounds, but they can sometimes be more annoying, simply because they're pitched higher and can penetrate other sounds in the house more easily. Squeaks most often indicate that one or more bearings are failing within the unit's motor. As the bearings stop rotating evenly, they grip and rub, causing the high squeaking sounds. Once you narrow down which bearings are failing, you can replace them before they cause another component to fail. Left to continue, however, those bearings can seize up which can cause the motor to overheat and seize as well.

If you're dealing with unusual sounds from your heating or air conditioning unit, contact an HVAC specialist from a company like Reed Heating who can diagnose the full extent of the problem for you. Before you know it, all those pesky noises will be a thing of the past.