The Air Conditioner Sounds Like a Jet Plane (& How to Fix it?)

Do your air conditioner sounds like a jet engine? It’s time for you to worry about it. 

Find out what’s wrong with it; otherwise, it may break down and stop working. 

Although an air conditioner does make a sound, if the sound resembles that of a jet or a helicopter, you should take urgent notice. 

Such loud noise indicates that your AC is having some issues. 

It will help if you replace or repair it as soon as possible.

The soft, distant humming sound from the outdoor unit or the sound of the cool air coming out of the vents is not a big problem. 

It’s usual for an AC to make some noise. 

There’s nothing to worry about unless these sounds convert into loud, concerning noise. 

The jet engine sound or any other odd sound produced by the air conditioner may be due to mechanical issues in the outer unit or the indoor blower component. 

This article will discuss some of the significant causes of the loud noise from your AC.

We’ll also go over solutions to these issues. 

 

Troubleshooting

To troubleshoot the noise coming from your AC, you first need to identify what kind of sound is coming from your AC. 

Different types of sounds can come from different parts of the AC. Usually, an AC does produce a faint sound. You can’t expect it to be completely silent. 

To troubleshoot your air conditioner sounds like a jet engine sound, you need to be sure it’s not banging, buzzing, rattling, or squealing. 

Once you’re sure your AC produces a jet engine-like sound, try to figure out the problem.

You may check out for mechanical issues such as: 

  • A faulty condenser fan
  • A faulty compressor
  • Frozen AC evaporator coils
  • A refrigerant leak
  • Broken AC belt
  • Damaged compressor motor
  • Loose components
  • Accumulation of debris
  • Ineffective filter

 

1. A faulty condenser fan

If there’s any fault in our AC condenser fan, it may produce a loud sound like a jet engine. 

It may be due to any damage inside its motor. 

A fault may occur in the motor and cause damage because of the accumulation of debris or any other electrical issue.

 

2. A faulty compressor

Compressor of AC

Any defect in the compressor may produce a jet engine-like sound. 

Any electrical or mechanical issue in the compressor may make a loud noise.

An inadequate power supply can also result in this issue.

 

3. Frozen AC evaporator coils

The coils inside the air system of an AC may accumulate ice which results in the freezing of the coils.

And then, the freezing of AC evaporator coils may produce a loud jet engine-like sound. 

This may happen due to poor air circulation, spoiled expansion valves, or the trouble caused by refrigerant piping. 

 

4. Refrigerant leak

One of the straightforward reasons for a jet engine-like loud sound is that your AC’s refrigerant may leak.

If the AC refrigerant line is damaged, it may leak.

This happens with an old AC or one that is used sparingly.

You need help to solve this problem. 

It’s best to get a refrigerant leak checked by an HVAC expert.

Experts can better understand what to do in such a situation. 

 

5. Broken AC belt

Belt

Another potential reason for such a sound is a broken AC belt. 

It’s a common issue in central air conditioning units. 

AC belt is necessary because it connects the fan and the motor. 

During the summer season, when we use AC more and humidity is high, the AC belt may get worn. 

In high humidity, the AC belt continuously contracts and expands, which may cause damage to it. 

Contacting an HVAC professional to replace the AC belt is the best option.

 

6. Damaged compressor motor

A loud jet engine-like sound when you switch your AC ON may be due to a damaged compressor or fan motor. 

Unfortunately, it’s an expensive affair to replace or even repair the compressor motor of an AC.

But if your AC has served you for a good ten to fifteen years, replacing the compressor motor is best if it shows signs of damage rather than getting it repaired.

Again, it would be best to contact an HVAC expert to get the compressor motor repaired or replaced instead of trying to do it yourself.

 

7. Loose components

With time, as you keep using AC, the screws and the bolts may become loose.

When you turn ON the AC, the outer and inner units are subjected to vibrations.

Due to these vibrations, the bolts and the screws may get loose. 

It’s simple to fix this issue. 

You only need a screwdriver to tighten them up, you can do it yourself. 

You may not need to call any professional for help.

 

8. Accumulation of debris

Mostly leaves and other dust particles may get stuck in the outer unit of the AC. 

This is a common issue. 

However, this issue is easy to solve.

You can clean any dirt or debris accumulated in the AC compressor by removing the lid. 

This is an easy task, but if you want to skip this cleaning process, you can call a professional for help. 

 

9. Ineffective filter

Air Conditioner

An ineffective or dirty filter may cause your AC many problems you may have yet to imagine. 

It can even cause the AC to shut down completely. 

It’s better to clean your AC filters every month when in use regularly. 

Otherwise, you may have to replace them if they accumulate too much dust.

Other than these, some causes for loud AC noise can be unbalanced fan blades, issues in copper lines, a condenser’s dirty coil, or an unbalanced blower.

 

Conclusion

As mentioned before, it’s essential to pinpoint the reason behind the jet engine like sound from your AC.

This will help you diagnose the problem so that you may solve it as soon as possible. 

The cost will be less expensive the sooner you have it checked. 

To troubleshoot the jet-engine-like sound, you need to diagnose what source is causing it to sound so loud.

Inspect all the mechanical and electrical problems to get the main problem solved. 

We hope this guide will help you fix an air conditioner that sounds like a jet.

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