Over the years, natural wear and tear means that there are a number of problems that can crop up with your air conditioning system. Especially here, where it has to work so hard, for so long, to keep you comfortable. You may find yourself facing refrigerant leaks, failed capacitors, and even ductwork breaches. While maintenance will help prevent the most sudden and costliest of air conditioning repairs in Boca Raton, FL, the need for repair will still come up.
There is one repair in particular that is especially unpleasant to face—a broken down or damaged compressor—the heart of your cooling system.
With most air conditioning components, replacement is typically the best option. But if you have a broken down compressor, then the question arises, “should I replace just the compressor, or the entire air conditioner?” Our educated and trained staff can help you make this decision, but you should know there’s a good chance we’ll recommend full system replacement. Here’s why:
Out of All AC Components, the Compressor Is the Most Expensive to Replace
This is the main reason our staff recommends looking at your cooling system as a whole, and then deciding if it makes more economic sense to just upgrade the AC system. But first thing’s first—before you do anything, ensure you’re working with trustworthy professionals who have proven themselves capable of diagnosing air conditioning issues accurately. Otherwise, you may walk away with a recommendation that isn’t right for your situation at all, and can end up costing you in more ways than one.
Now, more on that compressor. Your compressor, tasked with compressing the refrigerant within the air conditioning system, is one of those components that often contributes to misdiagnosis when AC problems arise. But assuming you’ve already determined that you certainly are dealing with a compressor issue, the first thing you’ll want to know is if it is still under warranty. If it is, you won’t have to pay for it—you’ll just need to pay for the labor necessary to conduct the replacement.
If this is the case, then yes, a compressor replacement is absolutely worth considering. But the likelihood of a compressor breaking down entire while still under warranty is fairly slim. So, in the absence of a warranty coverage, it’s time to consider a full AC system upgrade.
There are a number of factors for you to consider here—your budget being a big one. In the long run, however, replacing your entire cooling system at once, rather than replacing one large component at a time, is recommended. After all, these units are made to interact with one another, and accumulate wear and tear at the same time. So pairing something like an old evaporator unit with a new condenser/compressor unit can lead to long-term operational problems and a whole-system replacement anyway.
Signs Your Compressor Is Bad
There are a few indicators you can watch out for that signal a failing compressor. For example, you might not be receiving enough cooling in your living space. Your air conditioning system needs the refrigerant flowing into the evaporator coils to be under very high pressure, and if this isn’t the case then your AC simply can’t cool the air enough.
There are also sounds you can listen for. A hissing noise, for instance, could be coming from a malfunctioning compressor. You might also hear the motor of the compressor struggling, or humming loudly to try to compensate for the failing component. If you’re unsure, but suspect something has gone awry with your compressor, it’s a wise idea to give us a call.
