It’s our job, our top priority, to see that you have a working air conditioning system during the often brutal heat of a Texas summer. There are many AC repair emergencies we help homeowners overcome, such as broken blower fans and leaking refrigerant. Big or small, when it comes to AC repair in San Antonio, TX, we can fix them all!
And we can think of no more urgent repair for an air conditioning system than saving the compressor from failure. The compressor is the vital component of a cooling system responsible for circulating refrigerant through the coils and putting the refrigerant under pressure so it does the job of heat exchange that cools the house. Not only is the compressor essential for an air conditioner to provide cooling, but it’s a costly part to replace if it fails. Often, it’s more cost-effective to replace the air conditioner than to only replace a burnt-out compressor.
Know the Warning Signs of an Imperiled Compressor
You can’t always avoid a burnt-out compressor. For an extremely old AC, a failed compressor is simply the end of the line for a system that should’ve been retired years earlier. But if you can stop a compressor failing in an AC still has a few solid years of operation ahead, it’s worth it. And below are a few warning signs to watch for of a compressor that may be in trouble.
- Tripped circuit breaker: If the circuit breaker to the outside unit of the AC (the condenser, where the compressor is housed) trips, it’s often because of an overheating compressor. Don’t reset the switch to turn the AC back on—you need professionals to find out what’s wrong and fix it.
- Grinding sounds from the condenser: Mechanical grinding sounds from the condenser are warning that a motor is burning out. Cut the power to the condenser at the circuit breaker and call for assistance.
- Vibrating condenser: You’ll feel some vibrations from the condenser if you put your hand on it. It’s different if you can see the cabinet vibrating. That’s a major flag of a compressor problem.
- Ice on the evaporator coil: Seeing ice on the indoor evaporator coil is always a problem, and there are multiple possible sources for it. One of them is a failing compressor, but don’t guess—just get technicians out to fix the problem.
- Decline in cool air: As the compressor begins to fail, it means the refrigerant will not be at the right temperatures to allow for heat exchange, and that means a decline in the cool air around the house. You’ll probably notice individual rooms are hotter than they normally are.
As we mentioned above, you shouldn’t try to guess whether the compressor is at fault or not for these problems. It’s better to be safe and have it investigated. Even if it isn’t the compressor, something is wrong somewhere, and it’s better to have our experts fix it soon than wait for a failure later.
Call Thayer Air Conditioning when you need air conditioning repairs done fast and right. Your comfort is our #1 priority!
