What is an air compressor?
The compressor’s job is to raise the temperature of the refrigerant. This is done by squeezing and increasing the pressure put on the refrigerant.
Once the temperature is raised to a certain point above the temperature of its surroundings, the refrigerant, in its liquid state, moves throughout the system.
Once the refrigerant is heated, it begins to move throughout the condenser coils on the outside unit. This causes the heat absorbed by the refrigerant to be released into the outdoors.
This then cools the air inside your home.
Potential AC compressor problems
The compressor is often called the heart of the air conditioning unit – and with good reason. Without the component that initiates the heating of the refrigerant, the entire air conditioning cycle would not be able to continue.
For this reason, if you’re facing an AC compressor problem, things can break down very fast.
Firstly, if your compressor isn’t working period, several factors could be the cause. The most common is a lack of electricity to the unit. However, the issue could stem from elsewhere.
If you notice the following issues with your AC, your compressor might be to blame:
Air discharge that is either too low or too high
Unit is not cooling as it should
AC unit stutters when starting
If you’re unsure of the issues plaguing your system, contact a professional HVAC technician.