As mechanical appliances with moving parts, air conditioners produce some noise when they run. The amount of noise isn't overly noticeable, but some homeowners want to reduce how much they hear their AC unit. If you'd like to minimize your air conditioner's noise, you have several ways to do so.
Place Your Air Conditioner Where You Won't Hear It
If you plan to install a new air conditioner in a home, you may be able to place the air conditioner in a location where you'll hear it less. Other considerations may limit the unit's possible locations, but of the viable options, you can choose the one that's furthest from where you spend time.
The best location might be a spot that's on the opposite side of your house from your bedroom or study, or it might be one that's not near where you grill in the back yard. Discuss possible options with a technician who can suggest locations, and then select the one that makes the most sense given how you use your home.
While this may seem like an insignificant way to reduce how much you hear your AC unit, even placing it a little ways away can have a substantial effect on the noise levels you hear. Every time the distance between a sound source (the AC unit) and a place (where you spend time) doubles, the amount of sound that reaches that place is reduced by 6 decibels.
Thus, moving your AC unit from 10 feet away to 20 feet away would lower noticeable noise levels by 6 decibels. Moving the unit from 10 to 40 feet away would reduce sound by 12 decibels, which is equal to more than a 100-percent cut in the noise you hear.
Put a Sound Blanket
Over Your Air Conditioner
Sound blankets are useful in a variety of situations to dampen noise levels, and an HVAC company can provide one that's specifically designed to fit air conditioners. These are an effective solution when you can't move your air conditioner to a different location, or they can be used in conjunction with selecting a distant placement.
Air conditioner sound blankets generally provide 5 decibels of insulation, which theoretically equates to a 65 percent reduction in noise. Because other factors come into play in the real world, however, you can expect a blanket to provide a 30 to 50 percent appreciable reduction in noise levels.
Importantly, blankets are safe to use on air conditioners because the motor inside an AC unit has internally cooling with refrigerant. Placing a blanket over a unit might increase its operating temperature slightly, but the effect is likely negligible and has no noticeable effect on performance.
Construct a Fence
Around Your Air Conditioner
Constructing a fence around your air conditioner puts another barrier between your AC unit and the rest of your yard. This barrier won't do anything to stop noise that rises vertically from the unit since no obstacle is directly over the unit. It will, however, minimize noise that dissipates horizontally — which is what you primarily hear if you're in your yard.
As an added benefit, a fence can also help keep leaves and other debris from collecting on your AC unit. Not only is debris that gets stuck in the unit's grating an eyesore, but it also can reduce the unit's efficiency by blocking airflow.
Connect a Hose to the Air Conditioner's Drainage
In certain setups, the water that collects in an air conditioner can drain out onto a hard surface where it creates a dripping noise. If you hear water dripping from the AC unit, nothing is wrong with the unit itself. To eliminate the noise, connect a hose to the drainage so you can direct the water elsewhere.
For help with your air conditioner, contact the professionals at A-1
Finchum Heating & Cooling to schedule an
air conditioner service appointment.
