Window type air conditioner question.?

Question

I live in a tropical country. I noticed that around this time of the year (when the rains are heavier), there is a peculiar and rather loud and intermittent tapping sound coming from my window type air conditioner (which is about 4 years old already). Once I start using it, the sound becomes less frequent after an hour of operation (and may sometimes disappear). But the tapping sounds come back around 30 minutes after I turn it off. What I find even stranger is the fact that it totally disappears around November onwards.

I find the tapping sound rather disturbing (especially at night). I have tried having maintenance guys check it out and they say that the unit is in good condition. Is there something wrong with my air conditioning unit or is this normal?

Answer 1

Hello Bruce: Does the tapping sound happen when it is raining? It may be rain on the outside box. You can build a cover or put up an awning over the unit, as long as you don't block the air moving.
If it is not the rain directly, it may be increased humidity collecting in the pan under the unit. Some air conditioners pick up this water and pump it onto the outdoor coil the fan blade may be picking up water and throwing it on the outer box.
If the maintenance men say that it is working well, it is most likely just an annoying sound.

Answer 2

Do you live in an apartment with an apartment over you? Could be the upstairs unit leaking down on the outside of yours, or maybe a gutter is leaking. When you hear the tapping, look out the window and see if you see something dripping down.

This being the case, just use a little piece of carpet glued to the top of your unit to silence the problem.

Answer 3

i live in louisiana, kinda tropical here too,, the noise could be the metals expanding in the heat and making little popping sounds,, at night we have bugs that are attracted to the light coming from the window where the AC is!! they keep hitting the window,, tap tap tap and guess what,,we have barn swallows living under our car port and they love going after all the bugs at night,, they catch them on the windows,, tap tap with their beaks against the glass!!!!

Answer 4

tapping sound...hmm sounds posessed, the only thing i could think of is the fan blade hitting a wire maybe or touching the fan shroud, pull the unit out and take a look around for anything that maybe coming in contact with something else.

good luck!

Answer 5

Pressures are temperature/humidity related. My rule of thumb: If you can't fix a window unit with a garden hose, replace it. Most window units simply need cleaned. These things are not expensive, and will normally cost less to replace than paying someone who knows what they are doing to repair them. I've only been doing this 35 years, so I could be way off base.