A compressor is one of your air conditioner’s most vital (and expensive) parts. If something goes wrong with it, you’ll want to know right away so that you can prevent further and potentially severe damage to your cooling system. Today we’re going to talk about four of the most common signs of an air conditioner compressor failure so that you can recognize when you need to give Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning a call!

What is your air conditioner’s compressor?

Your air conditioner’s compressor is located in the outdoor portion of your air conditioner. Its job is to pressurize the refrigerant that flows to it from inside your home. This adds more heat to the refrigerant and makes it easy for that heat to be released into the air outside.

4 signs that you’re experiencing an air conditioner compressor failure

  1. No cool air in your home. If your compressor isn’t working, it will hinder the entire cooling process. One obvious symptom of this is that your home will not receive enough (or any) cool air. Keep in mind, however, that an air conditioner compressor failure is only one reason why your air conditioner might not be giving off cool air.
  2. “Hard” starts. A “hard start” is a term used to describe an outdoor condenser unit that shakes and shutters somewhat violently every time it kicks on. A failing compressor is one of the most common reasons this happens.
  3. Tripped circuit breaker. If your compressor is working too hard or malfunctioning, it will often cause your circuit breaker to trip, which cuts power to your air conditioner. If this seems to be happening frequently, there’s a good chance a compressor failure is at fault.
  4. Strange noises from condenser unit. The outdoor unit of your air conditioner always makes some degree of noise when it’s operating. However, if it begins to operate more loudly than usual, or if it’s making noises that you haven’t heard before, you might be experiencing a compressor failure.

If you suspect that your air conditioner’s compressor is failing, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning as soon as possible. Compressor problems can be very problematic and should only be addressed by a trusted professional.

If you have any questions about an air conditioner compressor failure, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, your St. Louis area air conditioning company. We service the St. Louis area, including towns like Clayton, Cottleville, and Creve Coeur.

photo credit: dagnyg via photopin cc

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