Building Inspection, Diagnosis & Repair Info

Photograph of This new compressor was placed directly against a brick wall. One third of its condenser coil cooling ability was blocked. HVAC Grinding Noise Diagnosis

Air conditioner or heat pump noise diagnosis Q&A set #5:

This air conditioning repair article series discusses the diagnosis and repair of heating sytem or air conditioning sysgtem noises.

We also provide a more comprehensive INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES for this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need.

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A/C & Heat Pump System Grinding Noises FAQs

These questions on finding and curing noises traced to heating, ventilation, or air conditioning systems were posted originally

at NOISES, HVAC SOUND DESCRIPTIONS - be sure to review the diagnostic advice at that article.

Watch out: A grinding sound coming from HVAC equipment, a grinding noise often points to failing motor bearings or a flue vent damper or similar device that is not working properly and might even be unsafe.

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Loud grinding noise at heat pump at start-up

My Carrier heat pump makes a loud grinding noise when it kicks off, and it's only 2 years old. It's been doing it since I had it. What would cause that? On 2019-08-03 by Vernon -

Reply by (mod) - loud grinding noise when it kicks off

Sounds like a hard starting motor of bad fan motor; or of course something else.

Take a look at the AC noise diagnosis articles above were we offer diagnostics for common causes of many sounds.

 

Compressor Unit Grinding Noise at start-up, then a buzz noise

AC compressor makes a grinding noise on cold start up ..... the next cycle on and off no grinding noise .... grinding

The grinding noise only occurs after the until has sat unused for 24 hours .

Then the compressor starts and bzzzzes perfectly for couple seconds then grinding noise for couple seconds then bzzz sound perfectly again throughout cycle.

Yet at the next start up there might be no grinding noise, just perfect bzzzz sound - On 2017-03-22 by Danny

Reply by (mod) - Signs of a hard start compressor

Danny

It sounds like a hard-start compressor - could be a bad start/run capacitor or a failing motor or a control problem that's letting the compressor (sometimes) try to start against high head pressure.

Grinding Noises Either Indoors in the Air Handler / Duct System or Outdoors: bad actuator?

If the "actuator" on your HVAC system is defective it might make a grinding or clanking or other noise and whatever it operates, such as a zone damper, may not function.

Examples of both manual and automatic or electrically operated actuators that open and close ductwork airflow are

at ZONE DAMPER CONTROLS

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Thank you to our readers for their generous comments

On 2019-07-24 by Ara Lowel -

Re posting w/o prohibited advertisement.

Ara Lowel said:

I found this blog to be very resourceful and well written.

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Continue reading at GRINDING NOISES - in buildings, or select a topic from closely-related articles below, or see our complete INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES below.

Or see these

HVAC Noise Diagnosis Articles

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HVAC SYSTEM GRINDING NOISE DIAGNOSIS FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING NOISE DIAGNOSIS

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