Everyone enjoys the cool, dry comfort that central air conditioner or heat pump system brings to a home, but if you have a traditional split system, sometimes the noise from the outdoor unit (called a condenser) can be annoyingly loud. If the condenser has been located outside of a bedroom, it can even interfere with your sleep.
All condensers make some noise although some brands are quieter than others. If you have an older, inefficient unit this may be a good time to upgrade to a quiet new energy efficient system. Depending on your old system and how often you run your air conditioner, you may be surprised how quickly the savings on your energy bills will cover the cost of the new unit. Meanwhile, you will be enjoying your quiet new air conditioner.
If a new central air conditioning system is not in the budget for this year, have your noisy air conditioner serviced and inspected by your HVAC technician. You could have a bent fan blade striking the housing or a piece of the sheet metal housing could be loose and vibrating.
If the condenser checks out, you may need to investigate other options such as relocating the condenser to a less obtrusive spot or building an enclosure around the unit. If you opt for the enclosure, be sure to allow plenty of space around the condenser for adequate ventilation and so it can be serviced. A partial enclosure that is open on the side away from the house can often do the trick.
