Invasive plants nearby easily invade and clog it. Help the AC Compressor Breatheīe sure to keep vegetation cut back two to three feet from the unit. When landscaping around an exterior unit like an AC compressor, avoid hitting it with the lawnmower or “weed-eaters.” Although they look tough, the vents can be damaged by everything from a rock thrown by a mower to hailstones. Exterior Maintenance Tips for AC Compressors Schedule a tune up if you haven’t had one lately to assess this issue. Air conditioners, heat pumps, and furnaces do this for several reasons, including dirty air filters, broken thermostats or the HVAC unit is improperly sized for the home. This means it’s quitting the cycle early. If the air conditioning compressor shuts down before the house cools, it could be short cycling. Refrigerant is toxic, so avoid handling it yourself. This needs to be addressed quickly by an HVAC pro. Similar to a car engine, motors and other moving parts do not like to run out of their coolants. If allowed to continue, your air conditioning completely stops because it’s missing the chemicals it needs to create cool air. If you listen to the AC compressor while it runs, a hissing sound suggests a leak. This is serious because it can cause health risks such as headaches, nausea, coughs and eye irritation. If you find what appear to be leaks around any part of your air conditioning system, you may have a refrigerant leak. Don’t worry though, NATE-certified technicians receive ongoing training for these issues. It can be dangerous without the proper education to work on loose motors. Click, Rattle and Roll?Ī clicking or rumbling noise upon AC startup often indicates the AC compressor motor mounts have released the motor and it’s bouncing around inside its casing. This is advanced-level work, so it’s best to consult an HVAC professional. This could indicate the AC compressor is struggling to turn on, or “hard start.” If you hear this when the air conditioning starts, the electrical relay switch may be wearing out. This sounds similar to the noise when you turn a gas burner to light on a stove. How Do I Know if My AC Compressor is Bad? 4 Big Signs It runs longer to try to meet your cooling needs and creates a big electric bill. If the air conditioning compressor is wearing out, it can’t compress the gas enough. If your electric bill climbs without an obvious reason, call for an HVAC inspection. These are early signs something in the system is compromised or the ducts/vents are clogged.Ī jump in your electric bill is another way to know if your AC compressor is bad. Subtle issues begin with a reduction in cool air production or warm air coming from vents when it shouldn’t. Early Signs Your AC Compressor is Failing to Cool Your Home If you have a heat pump, the cycle happens in reverse to move heat from the outdoor air to the indoor coil when you need heat. As the liquid refrigerant evaporates inside the indoor cooling coil, the air loses humidity and cools.īy condensing the refrigerant gas outdoors in the AC compressor, heat moves from inside to outside. Then, the outdoor compressor, or condenser, returns the liquid refrigerant to the indoor air handler and evaporator coil. Traveling through the larger refrigerant “suction line,” refrigerant gas returns from the indoor air handler cooling coil to the outdoor AC compressor. There the gas is compressed and cooled back to a liquid form. Its job is to move refrigerant gas from the indoor cooling coil to the outdoor AC compressor or condenser. The box itself is commonly referred to as the “ac compressor” because it’s one of the most critical pieces of the cooling process.Ī heat pump or AC compressor is essentially a motorized pump. The AC compressor is inside the box along with other components. It’s not actually the big metal box outside your home connected to the indoor HVAC. Let’s start with understanding the basics of an AC compressor. Quick Review: What is an AC Compressor and What Does it Do? However, if it acts funny, it helps to know if an AC compressor is going bad before it breaks down completely. In our area, it’s common for AC compressors to age a little quicker because we use them so much. Īir conditioning compressors typically last 10 to 15 years with routine maintenance and normal use. Hotter days may cause you to ask, “How do I know if my AC compressor is bad?” You may know it as the big metal box outside your house but it’s just the exterior part of your air conditioning system. UPDATED 2019: Air conditioning is so important in the South.
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