Shaking and rattling of a heat pump or air conditioning condenser is usually caused by the fan mounted inside the top of the condenser when it becomes unbalanced. Even minor shivering of the unit should be repaired because it will reduce the life of the condenser and often works loose the screws holding the cabinet and internal components together over time, which makes the shaking worse. It is also possible, but less likely, that a loose or broken mount at the compressor in the bottom of the condenser unit is the problem. A severely unbalanced fan blade will come apart inside the condenser and can damage the internal components and condenser coils that encircle it.

    And, finally, minor noise could also be caused by a loose panel of the cabinet of the condenser. Try pressing in lightly on the panels to see if it makes the sound stop, and then tighten mounting screws as necessary.

    Also see Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Air Conditioning Troubleshooting.

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  To learn more about heating and air conditioning systems, see these other blog posts:

• How can I find out the SEER of my air conditioner? 

• My air conditioner won't turn on. What's wrong? 

• How can I find out the size of my air conditioner? 

• How can I tell whether the condenser (outdoor unit) is an air conditioner or heat pump? 

• Where is the air filter for my central air conditioner and furnace? I can’t find it? 

• Does an old air conditioner use more electricity as it ages? 

• How did homes stay cool in Florida before air conditioning? 

• What is wrong with an air conditioner when the air flow out of the vents is low?

• Why has the thermostat screen gone blank? 

• Why does it take so long to cool a house when an air conditioner has been off for a while? 

   Visit our HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.