An AC compressor problem needs a complete diagnosis

Well, I had someone look at it last year. Yeah, who looked at it matters. A tune-up checklist from a big box company and a real diagnostic are two very different things. So, when one of our guys shows up at your house, here's what they're actually doing. Not a 10-point marketing checklist, they're doing a real diagnostic. We're measuring supply and return air temperatures, static pressure in your duct system, refrigerant pressures on both sides. We're checking the amp draw on your compressor and your blower motor, your capacitor health, your contactor condition, your coil cleanliness inside and out. We're not trying to find something to sell you. We're trying to understand what your system is actually doing. Sometimes, everything checks out fine. Sometimes, we find something that you need to know about. Here's where we're different from a lot of companies. If we find something, we'll give you both numbers, what it cost to repair it, and what it would cost to put that money toward something new. And then, we let you decide. >> Your home. >> [singing] [music]

The AC is blowing warm air. This is the big one. Warm air can mean a refrigerant issue, a compressor issue, a dirty coil, a failed capacitor, or even something as simple as the outdoor unit's not running for whatever reason. The symptom is simple. The cause, that's not always simple. Here's what you can do as a homeowner. First, look outside. If the indoor fan is running but the outdoor unit's silent, that tells us something. If the outdoor fan's spinning but the air is not cooling, that tells us something else. Don't take panels off, but do look and listen.

What is an expensive repair look like? What components could possibly cause a system to cost so much to repair? The heart of your system, your compressor. Those repair costs can range, gosh, anywhere from I've seen repair costs on anywhere from say $2,000 all the way up to $5,000 depending on the tonnage, the make, so who made it, and then what refrigerant is being used in that system. And so, your compressor, if you've got a a huge repair, which is the compressor, it can cause that repair price to go up pretty quickly. And often times when you replace the compressor, the compressors failed because of some reason. And so, if the compressor fails, it's often always indicative of other problems. And so, if you replace the compressor and you spend a lot of money on that repair, just be prepared that you're at high risk for other components having problems, too.

ah this is a compressor this is the heart of your system this is used to pump refrigerant through the system typically these can last anywhere from 10 to 20 years they have been known to fail because of electrical problems or actually locking up is a common way for these to fail typical cost for these replacement is anywhere from fifteen hundred dollars and up and at that point we actually recommend replacing the system if it's past its warranty and that's what I tell people about this part

This is a compressor. Very important part. It is what pumps all the refrigerant through. So without it, you're out of luck on cooling. Common failures on this is to be locked up or have an issue with uh where you're not maintaining it right. So you're not replacing capacitors, stuff like that. Lots of little things like that. Maintenance is important with these. Uh to replace one of these, you're looking at a install cost of around $3,000. But I would highly suggest to get it quoted out because it can be a lot more depending on what the manufacturer charges us for the compressor. And that's what I got to say about this part. [Music]

Compressor failure. This is the big one. This is the real big one. No one likes to hear this one, all right? But, let's talk about it. Okay, so this one ranges around $1,500 to $3,000 plus. So, simply put, the compressor is the heart of your system and the most expensive single component, right? So, when it fails, the system runs, everything else works, but there's no refrigerant pumping through the loop, no cooling at all. On any system that's 12 years or older, the math completely changes, okay? So, we're paying $2,000 to repair compressor on maybe, let's just say like a 14-year-old unit that'll need replacement in 2 to 3 years anyway is often a losing proposition, okay? So, this is the point where the honest conversation shifts from repair cost to what's the age of the system? What's the efficiency rating? What does replacement actually cost versus continued repairs? I'm not here to push replacement, guys. I'm here to make sure you have the right numbers to make the right decision for you, your family, and your home.