On average, American homes spend most of the cost on energy and cooling. These two things help determine what your monthly energy bill will look like.
Since it can comprise such a high portion of your monthly bill, assessing issues with your air conditioning compressor is key to ensuring that you’re not spending needlessly.
Read on to learn how to tell if you have a broken AC compressor and what you can do about it.
AC Unit Is Not Blowing Cold Air
In the summer, the last thing you want is for your AC unit to stop working correctly. If your unit is not blowing cold air, you can check a few things before calling a professional.
First, make sure that your unit is correctly charged with freon. If it is, check to see if the condenser coils are dirty. If they are, clean them off and see if that solves the problem.
If the coils are clean and the unit is still not blowing cold air, there may be an issue with the home AC compressor. You may also check this article to learn more about handling this problem.
Loud Noises Coming From the AC Unit
There may be several reasons your AC unit is making loud noises. It could be that the fan is hitting something, the compressor is failing, or there could be something wrong with the ductwork.
If the noise comes from the fan, it is probably not a significant issue. You might be able to fix it by simply adjusting the fan blades. However, if the noise is coming from the compressor, it is a more severe issue, and you should call a technician to come and take a look at it.
Energy Bills Going Up
Broken AC compressors are one of the main reasons why energy bills go up, especially during the summer months. When the compressor is not working correctly, the air conditioner has to work harder to cool the home, which uses more energy and raises the bill.
While it may be tempting to ignore the problem and hope it goes away, it is best to call a technician as soon as possible to fix the issue. Waiting too long can cause further damage to the compressor and the AC unit, which will be even more expensive to repair.
AC Unit Is Leaking Refrigerant
A central AC unit leaking refrigerant is not a DIY fix. A professional HVAC contractor must repair the leak. Many AC units are leaking because they were not installed correctly.
The most common type of AC unit leak is a refrigerant line leak. The refrigerant lines connect the condenser and the evaporator coils. If the lines are not correctly sealed, the refrigerant will leak out.
Another type of leak is compressor failure. The compressor is the heart of the AC unit. If it fails, the entire unit will need to be replaced.
Fixing Your Broken AC Compressor
A broken AC compressor must be checked out by a professional as soon as possible. In the meantime, we have shared a few things you can check for yourself to understand the situation better.
If you think this article has helped you, check out our other blogs!