There are lots of reasons that your Palmetto Bay air conditioner may malfunction, so it can be difficult to tell if a bad compressor is the culprit. Take a look at this guide to see if your AC problems are caused by a broken compressor.
Start by turning you air conditioner on. When it turns on – or when it is triggered to go on by the thermostat – do any of the following things happen?
- The circuit breaker trips – If this happens once, or even every so often, it’s probably nothing to worry about. Maybe somebody is just using a hair dryer at the same time. But if the circuit breaker is being tripped consistently when the AC goes on, it’s almost a sure sign that the compressor is broken.
- You hear loud noises coming from the AC – grinding, clanking, knocking, buzzing, etc. – Any unusual noises emanating from the air conditioner are signs of bad news. Any grinding, clanking, knocking, buzzing or other unpleasant sounds are symptoms of a condition that needs repair. It may or may not be the compressor, but in any event it needs to be looked at.
- The system just hums – On the flip side, a system that is too quiet is also problematic. If you just hear humming from the AC system, that could be the sound of it running without the compressor. This happens when the compressor has failed completely.
All of this signs are obvious and easy to observe, and any one of them can mean that your AC compressor is broken. In addition, if you are still not sure whether the compressor is a problem, see if you can locate and gain access to the compressor motor. Consult your owner’s manual for instructions.
If the wiring in the area is visibly damaged, like it appears singed, burned or otherwise tarnished, this is another sign that it is time to repair or replace the compressor itself.
While all of these are pretty good indicators of a bad compressor, only a licensed Palmetto Bay AC technician can accurately diagnose and repair the problem. If you have been noticing any of these symptoms from your AC system, or if you have any other reason to think your compressor is broken, you should call Air On Demand to have it looked at.