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Malfunctioning AC Compressor: Should You Repair or Replace the System?

compressorThroughout the years, there are a number of problems that can crop up with an HVAC system. Especially in the case of an air conditioner, which goes through a lot of work during our long summers!

You might find yourself facing issues like refrigerant leaks, failed capacitors, or even damaged ductwork. Fortunately, most of these are relatively easy to have repaired, and in many cases are possible to prevent.

There is one air conditioner problem, though, that’s particularly unpleasant to face and doesn’t have an easy solution, and that’s a broken down or damaged compressor.

What Happens If Your Compressor Is Damaged?

With most other air conditioning problems, it’s typically a component or two to blame, and your air conditioner can be easily repaired. However, if you have a broken compressor, the question becomes “should I repair it, or replace the entire air conditioner?” After all, the compressor is the heart of the system, and without it your air conditioner can’t function.

Our team is here to help you make an educated choice about what you want to do about a damaged compressor. We’ll be upfront right away and say, a full system replacement is most likely going to be the recommendation at the end. However, we want you to know why, and to understand your options.

The Compressor is Your Air Conditioner’s Most Expensive Component

This is the main reason it’s recommended that you look at your air conditioner as a whole, in order to determine if it will be more economically reasonable to upgrade the system, rather than repairing it by replacing the compressor.

Our team of professionals can help you do just that, and will accurately diagnose any cooling system problems you might have.

Compressors are tasked with compressing the refrigerant within your air conditioner, and damage to that compressor is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed air conditioning problems there is. Assuming you’ve already figured out that you’re dealing with a compressor issue, the first thing you’ll want to check is if your air conditioner is still under warranty.

If the warranty is still current on your air conditioner, then you won’t have to pay for the replacement component—only the labor required to actually do it. This is probably the only case where we would recommend a compressor replacement rather than a full air conditioner replacement.

What If Your Air Conditioner Isn’t Under Warranty?

The likelihood of your air conditioner’s compressor breaking down entirely while the system is still under warranty is slim. In the absence of warranty coverage, it’s time to consider a full air conditioner replacement.

There are a number of factors to consider here—like your budget and how old the air conditioner is. However, replacing the entire air conditioning system at once can often be the best option, since the indoor and outdoor units—the outdoor unit being the condenser unit, which houses the compressor—are designed to interact with one another. They accumulate wear and tear together. So, if you pair an old indoor evaporator unit with a new condenser unit and compressor, you may find yourself facing long-term operational issues.

When you need expert service on your air conditioning in Goodlettsville, TN, look no further than Covenant Heating and Cooling. Contact us today!

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