Your compressor is the pump that makes your home's entire air conditioning system work as it should. Without the compressor, the refrigerant in the system would be unable to make its journey from your indoor unit to your outdoor unit with its heat. This refrigerant cycle is the key to any air conditioning system, so without a functional compressor, you can kiss that cool air goodbye. That can make it all the more frustrating when your compressor dies in the searing heat of summer, leaving you with a sweltering hot home.
If you've found yourself in this situation, you're probably wondering what your next step is. Luckily, you have a couple of options for dealing with your compressor and getting that sweet, sweet coolness back into your house.
You Can Repair the Outdoor Unit
Your compressor is part of the condenser unit, which is also sometimes referred to as the outdoor AC unit. A typical condenser unit will include the compressor, the condenser coils, the blower, and assorted plumbing and electronics to control the entire thing. Technically speaking, most units allow a service technician to install a new compressor rather than replacing the whole unit. Doing so isn't always a simple job, however, since the refrigerant in the system will need to be drained and the technician will need to perform some fairly delicate work within the cabinet.
If you opt to replace just the compressor, then it is important to have your entire system evaluated first. In many cases, compressors that are not already very old will only fail as a result of other issues with the system. Replacing your compressor just to have a new one fail on you is not anyone's idea of a good time, so make sure that other failures aren't putting undue strain on the compressor.
You Can Replace the Whole Condensing Unit
If your compressor fails due to the age-related reasons, then it may make sense to replace the entire outdoor unit. While it would be nice if equipment could last forever, the typical condensing unit will only last between a decade or two. If your compressor fails within this time span, then it is likely that other elements of the outdoor unit are beginning to age as well. Replacing the entire unit is certainly more expensive than just replacing the compressor, but it is often cheaper than replacing parts as they break or, even worse, replacing several parts only to have to replace the whole unit anyway.
Replacing your condensing unit also gives you an opportunity to evaluate the state of your AC system and upgrade if necessary. In some cases, it may also make sense to replace the indoor evaporator coils in order to perform a complete upgrade. Since you will already need to have the system drained of refrigerant, this is a great time to get as much done as possible while saving on labor costs.
For more information, contact a company like CNR Air Conditioning Inc.
Share3 July 2019
I know it can be difficult to make yourself think about getting your furnace running when the skies are sunny and the temperatures are hovering around 90, but it is the best time for you to think about your heating system. Getting ahead of the winter preparation game will help to save on the cost of the repairs because the need for furnace maintenance is usually at a low during the fall season. This blog will show you what you can do to prepare your furnace for winter and when you should hire a professional HVAC technician to take care of it for you.