AC Compressor Doesn’t Kick In? What to Do

On a sweltering day, nothing is worse than discovering that your air conditioner isn’t working. After testing it for a minute, you may realize that the compressor is to blame. When an AC compressor doesn’t start, the system can’t cool your home. Therefore, this isn’t something that can be put on the back burner. It has to be dealt with immediately. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to try to resolve the issue. While compressor problems can be pretty serious, they are occasionally easy to fix, so don’t panic just yet.

Steps You can Take to Troubleshoot Your A/C Compressor

If your AC compressor doesn’t start, there are a few things you should rule out before contacting an HVAC company. Keep in mind, however, that most issues need to be dealt with by AC professionals. In the meantime, though, you can try a few things. Most importantly, check to see if power is going to the compressor. Has a breaker been tripped or has a fuse been blown? Either of these things will prevent a compressor from starting. Make sure that nothing is obstructing the unit and that there’s not a lot of debris.

A/C Compressor doesn’t Start: Possible Causes

After ruling out power issues and obstructions, you will probably need to contact a local HVAC contractor. An experienced technician will perform a few simple steps to try to pinpoint the problem. It could be any of several things, including:

Faulty Start Relay or Capacitor – One of the first things a tech is likely to do is replace the capacitor and/or start relay. Oftentimes, these relatively inexpensive parts fail and cause a compressor to stop working. If the new part resolves the problem, your repair bill will be minimal and your air conditioner should kick back on again without incident.

  • Power Problems – The HVAC tech will most likely use a multimeter to see whether or not power is getting to the compressor. This tool can also test the amount of power that’s flowing to the compressor. Depending on the results, the tech may be able to fix the wiring or take additional steps to resolve the problem.
  • Terminal Connections – Another possibility is a problem with the terminal connections. They may be faulty, damaged or dirty. This is easy to rule out and a breeze to resolve.

Air Conditioner Repair in Matthews NC

It’s smart to take a few steps to try and diagnose an AC compressor problem yourself. At a certain point, however, you’ll probably need to call for assistance. If you live in or near Matthews NC, All Temp Air Conditioning and Heating is here to help. We are committed to providing prompt, courteous, effective service. In many cases, repairs can be made the same day. Contact us for all of your heating and cooling needs.

Tags: , , , , , , ,