Summer is over and you’re probably worried more about keeping your home warm than what your air conditioner might be doing. But, it’s a good idea to address any AC problems that you are aware of before they get out of hand. For example, if the capacitor goes out on your outdoor unit, it needs to be replaced sooner rather than later.
You can keep reading to learn more about what a capacitor is, the role that plays in keeping your home cool, and some signs that can indicate it is either beginning to go out or has already stopped working. Then give our team a call to schedule your HVAC repair in Hagerstown, MD if you suspect any AC problems, including a bad capacitor.
What Is an AC Capacitor?
The AC capacitor is a component on the outdoor portion of your air conditioning unit. The capacitor stores energy during AC operation and then transfers that energy back out into your air conditioner for an extra power boost during each cycle startup.
Your air conditioner can maintain a cooling cycle once it begins, but there is a need for a power boost when the unit is very first turning on. With multiple cooling cycles each hour and each day, a working capacitor is crucial to AC operation.
How Does a Capacitor Go Bad?
It is completely normal to have to replace the capacitor on your air conditioner at some point. Fortunately, investing in a new capacitor is a fairly inexpensive investment to make. Capacitors take on a lot of wear and tear because of how they operate.
Charging up and transferring that energy to your air conditioner day after day is a big job. Capacitors can last longer by using reasonable thermostat settings, scheduling annual maintenance, and taking excellent care of your air conditioner.
Signs of Capacitor Problems
Ideally, you want to identify capacitor issues before the component stops working completely. If you begin to hear a humming sound come from the outdoor unit, your capacitor is likely beginning to go bad. The humming sound means that your capacitor is straining to build up a charge or transfer the charge during the beginning of a cooling cycle.
Call for service when you first hear the humming sound instead of waiting for additional signs that something is wrong. If you wait, you may be left with an air conditioner that stops working completely. We already mentioned that replacing the capacitor is an easy fix, but it’s still a project you want to leave to our professionals instead of attempting a DIY repair.
This protects you from any safety hazards associated with fixing your AC independently. Plus, there may be additional problems aside from a worn-out capacitor. When our team visits your home, we can check your AC top to bottom and address any other repair needs while we are there.
To schedule your air conditioner repair service, contact Premier HVAC Services today!