The four common indicators of a failing AC compressor
Your ducted air conditioning's compressor plays a crucial role in ensuring the house remains at your ideal temperature. Proper maintenance checks are good for the unit, especially because in most homes, it is located outside the house. However, even with excellent maintenance, the unit will eventually fail and need replacement. Below are a few of the signs which normally indicate that an outdoor AC unit is not functioning properly.
When the circuit breaker keeps tripping
When the AC compressor is not working properly, the entire system keeps heating up more than it should. For instance, when the moving parts inside the compressor are not well-lubricated, they rub against one another and get extremely heated. As the temperature rises, the electrical system will start getting affected, and the circuit breaker may trip when the power stops flowing in freely in the excessively heated components.
Loud noises
Most compressors operate with a very soft and subtle humming sound. When the compressor in the outdoor unit starts operating with strange and loud sounds, it is time to start thinking about repair or replacement. The noises which characterise a failing AC unit include banging and rattling. At times, these noises will be accompanied by violent shaking of the entire outdoor unit.
Stuffy indoors
The other common indicator that your AC unit is not working properly is when the air in the house stays warm and stuffy, even when the AC unit is switched on. The compressor cools down the air inside the house and re-circulates it. When the compressor starts failing, it will not regulate the flow of the refrigerant inside the AC system for proper cooling. If repairs are ignored at this point, the entire system may crash.
Leakage of fluid
Most people rarely think much about moisture collecting beneath the AC outdoor unit. The puddles should not be ignored because they normally indicate that some refrigerant is leaking from the unit. When the fluid is leaking, the system cannot operate at its maximum capacity. If the leakage is ignored, all the refrigerant may leak out of the system, which could result in total system failure.
Those are some common indicators that your AC compressor could be in trouble. The best way to fix problems with AC systems is hiring qualified and experienced HVAC systems installation and maintenance experts. They will look at the outdoor unit, single out the problem leading to compressor failure and do their best to have it fixed.