noisy central air, whooshing noise inside wall?

[Kremlar]

I have a relatively new house (built January 2005). We have a forced hot air heating system with central AC. There are 2 air units, one located in the basement, and one located in the attic. We also have 2 outdoor AC units.

When we are using the AC unit located in the attic (which handles our 2nd floor and great room zones), especially when it's very warm out, we will intermittently hear a repeating whooshing noise in certain walls/rooms. Based on where I hear the noise, it seems to be the piping coming from the attic unit and heading towards the outdoor AC units. It happens every few minutes when the central AC is running.

I assumed this was normal (I've never owned a house with central AC before). But, I called our heating/AC company last summer and mentioned it, and they indicated that it sounded normal to them based on my description (though they never came down to listen).

This summer our neighbor (who owns basically an identical house to us, it's a new development) commented on the sound, saying he never hears it at his house. I called the heaitng/AC company again, and they came to listen, but of course it was a cool day and the noise never happened. Based on my description, the guy said it sounded like the pipe rubbing against the drywall instead of behind the insulation, vibrating and causing the noise.

The only solutions he offered were tearing up the wall to fix the pipe, or running new pipe through the attic and down the house, at a cost of $500 or less. Neither option sounded overly appealing to me.

I accepted the explanation, but now I'm starting to have my doubts because I can hear the noise in other parts of the house I didn't notice before.

The sound almost sounds like pressure being built up, then released (the whooshing noise), but it is hard to describe.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Does the repair guy's answer make any sense, or is there possibly a simpler solution to the noise??

It's starting to drive me nuts....

Thanks in advance!!

[Al Moran]

What you are describing can be caused by a lot of things. The two most common things that I see a lot that cause this are: 1. the freon pipes not secured correctly and when the system comes on they move and vibrate, since all of the beams in the house ultimately connect to one another you will be able to hear the noise in other parts of the house. 2. Air in the system, which means air in the freon pipes. Doubt it is this though unless the system in question does not cool the space correctly. Most likely your problem is vibrating freon pipes caused by a poor install.

[m Ransley]

I heard a noise that pulsed for a day once when my unit was run for the first time in summer , it was not normal it was the freon pulsing, it sounded like a liquid or gas pulsing or shooting through evey minute or two. I thought maybe my tvx valve or something was bad. Your unit is under warranty call the manufacturer, see if the sound is at the unit in the attic.

[Kremlar]

Thanks for the reply.

Are there any easy solutions?

Even though I am out of my 1 year home warranty, in your opinion, do I have any recourse?

[m Ransley]

Did you notify them before the waranty was up

[Kremlar]

I described the noise to them over the phone, but they said it sounded normal. Since I never had central AC before, I believed them.

They never came down, so I have no record of it... :(

[Kremlar]

I've been tracking it down a bit, and basically I can hear it in the house pretty much anywhere the pipe goes through, but it's loudest in the wall where the line first goes down from the attic.

I can also hear it in the attic, at the unit, it sounds like a swooshing going through the line (swoosh, swoosh, swoosh). I also hear gurgling.

I just ran to my neighbors, and his unit has been running for a while, and I can't hear anything other than the fan in his attic.

At this point, I'm thinking my problem isn't with the pipe in the wall, but maybe as you mentioned air in the system?

I'm going to give them a call tomorrow and push the issue further with this new information.

I appreciate any comments/tips you can give.

Thanks guys!

[Nonnymus]

It could be your thermal expansion valve releasing gas/liquid.

Nonnymus

[Kremlar]

[mm]

I don't know if this symptom is bad or not or how bad it is, but are you saying that new ac is only guaranteed for one year?

Installation, or the mechanism too?

You talked to YOUR heating and ac company, but how long does the maker guarantee it for?

Nonetheless you called and complained before the year was out. Who knows who the court will believe? Your story is a reasonable one There are lots of things believed in court without a record of it**. Tell the AC company it broke before th eyear was up, you called before the year was up, and you want them to fix it***. And don't mention suing until round 3. But keep detailed notes, now. For that matter, you can write down what you remember of the first call. Writing it down 5 months later is not as good as one hour later, but it's better than 10 months later.

***Assuming this is really a problem and I have no idea. **Even more true if the company has been sued in the past or has complaints with the BBB. But even if they haven't.

[Larry Jaques]

On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 09:29:29 -0400, with neither quill nor qualm, "Kremlar" quickly quoth:

You might solve/reduce it by pouring insulation in to the opening the liens run.

Find out what company put in the a/c and ask them (nicely) to repair it. It definitely sounds like a a/c-line-related noise problem.

Alternatively, have an a/c guy come out and check the freon level. If it's OK, you need to realize it's not a real physical problem and start to get used to it.

For the first 2 years I had this new system, I didn't hear the fire light in the furnace. Now I do. Once I got used to the whirr of the motor and the rumble of the flame, I no longer give it my attention. I know precisely what it is and am comfortable that it's _not_ a problem.

Learn to ignore it, like mothers do with screaming children and pet owners do with their yapping little (and loud barking big) dogs.

[PaigeC]

replying to Kremlar, PaigeC wrote: It?s been 10 years since this thread was last updated but in case OP sees this: did you ever diagnose your problem? I?m having a similar whooshing issue with one of my ac units.

[Taxed and Spent]

Something to do with Halloween?

[Ed Pawlowski]

I had a whooshing issue when I hit puberty. Found a cure though.

[Tekkie®]

Taxed and Spent posted for all of us...

Gerbil mania!