How Can a Good Compressor Keep Me From Needing AC Repair?

We all want to avoid air conditioning repair as much as possible. But the only way to avoid a major repair is to keep up regular servicing.

Knowing more about the compressor is going to explain why.

What Is the AC Compressor? 

Located in the central part of the air conditioner, it sits next to the condenser and the fan in the outer unit. Its job is to help the air conditioner take heat and remove it from the air of your home.

This is actually the most important job of your AC, and that makes the compressor the most important part in the whole machine.

What Does the Compressor Do?

A refrigerating chemical goes into the compressor as a gas that is cool. The compressor constricts it through rapid cycling until this becomes a hot gas under extremely high pressure.

The gas runs through the condensing coils and the heat leaves it, going to the outside. It then evaporates through another coil set, which removes the heat from the air, which is blown outside.

How Long Should Compressors Last?

These are a very long-lived piece of hardware, lasting 12 to 15 years if there are not complications.

Then Why Would the Compressor Fail

Compressor trouble or failure may mean there is actually another problem, since the compressors are so sturdy.

• Refrigerant Flooding is when this chemical doesn’t turn into vapor. If it goes back into the compressor, in which case it will damage the machine. There could also be too much refrigerant, or the settings could be off.

• There could be not enough lube. If there’s an oil leak, or oil is trapped, the compressor could become contaminated by it and fail.

• Dirt, acid or moisture could contaminate the system and cause the compressor to fail.
• The electricity settings could be out of balance, and result in a surge that overheats the system.
• If there is a lack of cooling or air is trapped in the system the pressure will raise as well as the temperature, and this can also damage it.

So while the compressor is powerful by itself, the interaction of other elements with it can deplete the compressor’s lifespan.

Why You Don’t Want Your Compressor to Fail

The compressor is the essential piece of equipment in your air conditioner. It’s the most complex and the most expensive.

To avoid the problems that can hurt the compressor, it’s important to get regular servicing of the AC unit. The expense of the servicing will give you a lot of value and keep you from making major repairs.

A broken condenser usually precipitates the purchase of a new machine.  

So get regular servicing for your AC unit to keep it going strong, and get more value and much less hassle from an untimely replacement.

Got a compressor question? Call us at Anytime Heating, Cooling and Plumbing 24/7, and you’ll get your questions answered.