Your home’s HVAC is just as essential to your comfort of living as electricity and plumbing. On a hot day, would you rather come home to a brutally warm house? Most people will answer, absolutely not. No, they want a fresh, refreshing feeling that is just the right temperature to beat the outside heat.
The home’s air conditioning system is made up of five main parts. These include:
- Evaporator coils
- Condenser coils
- Compressor
- Expansion Valve
- Refrigerant
Each of these elements needs to work together to produce a cooling effect. When most air conditioners stop blowing cold air, the first thing an HVAC technician will likely check is the refrigerant level. While this can be an easy fix, one will wonder why it is low in the first place. The coils are responsible for picking up the hot air, outside (the condenser coil), and inside (the evaporator coil) the home.
What is the Compressor’s job?
The compressor is probably the most critical part of the entire system. It takes the refrigerant in the system and pressurizes it. As a result of this process, the temperature will rise. The combined gas law states that when pressure increases, so does temperature. Thus, when you compress the refrigerant, it will also heat up.
The reason the refrigerant needs to heat up is that it needs to exceed the outdoor temperature. Without the ability to heat the system, the refrigerant cannot work. That is why you can have a system full of coolant, but no cold air is blowing.
The Common Signs of a Bad AC Compressor
Typically, if your air conditioner’s compressor goes bad, you’ll know it. Not only will there be no cold air blowing, but the system will also give you some not-so-subtle hints that alert you to the issue. When it comes to repairs, you’ll need to contact the professionals. Green Leaf AC works on virtually all air conditioning systems. Faulty compressors are one of the main trouble calls homeowners need assistance with. Check out the top four signs of a compressor, so you know what to expect.
A Noisy AC
If you hear clattering or ticking sounds when you turn on the air conditioner, it’s probably the compressor. Rattling and similar noises are usually caused by the compressor vibrating. Turn off the air conditioning immediately, and contact your local HVAC company for help. Continuing to run the system with a faulty compressor can damage more components, leading to a more expensive repair.
No More Cold Air
This symptom can often be from a variety of issues in the AC system, which doesn’t rule out the compressor. Typically if you have no cold air, mixed with one of the other symptoms, then it could be likely the compressor has failed.
Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping
If your AC system is drawing too much power, it will start to trip the breaker. This can be caused by a broken compressor too. It’s essential not to keep resetting the breaker and trying to run the AC if this happens. House fires can occur. When this starts to happen, you’ll need a professional’s help to fix the issue and ensure it’s resolved safely. Repeated breaker trips can also indicate an electrical issue that needs prompt attention, especially if you notice heat, burning smells, or visible damage around the panel or wiring. In that situation, Ken Bobko Electric can be a useful resource for finding urgent electrical support rather than continuing to reset the breaker.
Less Cold Air
When the compressor starts to fail, you may still have cold air; it just won’t be as cold and not as much. If you pay attention to airflow quality, you might notice a failing compressor early on. This can save you time without needing a fully functional unit and without going without for a few hours or days while waiting for repairs.