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AC 101: What is an AC Compressor?

July 12, 2022 | Blog

Have you ever wondered what it is that AC compressors actually do? The compressor in an air conditioner is the heart of your unit. It is needed to convert power into energy and circulate the refrigerant necessary to cool your home. Without an AC compressor or a well-performing one, the comfort of your home will be significantly impacted.

Trahan’s Heating & Cooling has provided Houma AC services for years. We are experts regarding the ins and outs of your HVAC system! Below we’ve broken down the elements of a compressor to help you better understand and care for your HVAC system.

What Does An AC Compressor Do?

The compressor’s main job is to raise the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant so that evaporation happens when it cools down. This is what produces cool air for your home. The compressor is located in your outside unit. The compressor increases the refrigerant temperature that moves through the unit’s coils. This allows the heat to transfer from inside your home into the outdoor condenser. It is a key to the heat exchange process.

The compressor takes the refrigerant from a cool, low-pressure liquid to hot high-pressure gas and then cycles back again. Refrigerant is a liquid that can repeatedly change to a high-pressure gas. When in its liquid form, it is cool and causes evaporation when it meets warm air – this is what cools the air down. When the refrigerant is in a high-pressure state, it condenses and becomes warm and causes the air to heat up.

Common AC Compressor Issues

Many issues could potentially arise in your air conditioner’s compressor. A fully functioning compressor allows your unit to operate at its best. Mechanical problems with your HVAC system can be complicated and require extensive knowledge. Here are of some the issues that could potentially arise due to your AC compressor:

Air Conditioning Electrical issues

Electrical issues can cause acid buildup that is damaging to your entire system. Scheduling routine air conditioning tune-ups on your unit can help prevent these issues.

Too Much AC Refrigerant

Too much refrigerant in a unit is often due to unqualified technicians or DIY work on your unit. Putting in too much refrigerant will not make your air get any cooler and can significantly damage your unit. Opt-out of the DIY work and find a reliable HVAC contractor to provide quality service for your unit.

AC Refrigerant Leaks and Dirty Coils

As your unit ages, so do the lines that connect. Refrigerant lines can develop holes or cracks. These damages cause your compressor to work much harder to pump through coolant. Dirty coils block overall airflow and cannot emit enough heat from the unit causing the unit to run nonstop to cool your home. This causes overheating in your compressor.

Professional Houma Air Conditioning Maintenance

Scheduling routine AC maintenance on your unit will not only preserve the integrity of your entire unit and all of its essential parts, but will prevent the need for a complete AC compressor repair as well.

At Trahan’s Heating & Cooling, we’ve made it easy for homeowners to integrate regular tune-ups into their schedule with our Shield of Protection Plan, which offers free HVAC servicing and discounts on services. Give us a call to find out how we can help protect and service your unit!

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Terrific company! Repair/salesman arrived quickly after our call for help. Current unit repaired that day and new units installed shortly thereafter. Experienced, qualified, considerate, hard working, and friendly team. We highly recommend their services!

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We are very pleased with our recent service with Trahan’s! We noticed something wasn’t right with our AC and within 15 minutes of calling Tyler was here and working on fixing the problem. We are thankful for quick and prompt service on a Saturday afternoon!

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The serviceman, Tate, was very quick to respond to my call. He was professional and knowledgeable and identified the problem very quickly. The broken part was replaced & my A/C was running perfectly again in less than 15 minutes after he arrived.

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