What are the signs of a failing aircon compressor?
Aircons make our life easier by removing heat and humidity. The compressor is the core of the air conditioner. A compressor radiates excess heat from the aircon system and, therefore, allows the surroundings at the evaporator to cool. High usage hours or severe environmental parameters can cause the compressor to be overloaded and fail prematurely. With a keen eye, the signs of a failing aircon compressor can be observed. If the problem is rectified in time, you can save thousands of dollars in an expensive repair. Aircon repairs are costly in Singapore and compressor replacement may go upwards of SGD 1500. Here are some of the common signs of a weak or failing compressor. 1. Hard-start: Rattling metallic noise emanating from the aircon is suggestive of compressor issues. When you turn the AC on, if there is a “hard-start” which means unusual jerking, vibrations or noises, it is a sign of a compressor problem. An electrical switch called relay start the aircon compressor. It makes a normal clicking noise when the switch closes. If you hear many such sounds before the compressor starts, have your aircon inspected by a trained professional. 2. Higher temperature: If you’re not getting the cold air as you previously used to, check for clogged coils and filters. If the coils and filters are clean, it could indicate a problem with the aircon compressor. There could be two reasons for airflow at a higher temperature · Lack of refrigerant pressure in the system. Do you know how often you need to top-up gas of your aircon? · Inability of the compressor to pressurize the refrigerant to the required level In the second case, you may get the compressor inspected by a professional. 3. Tripped circuit breakers: If the compressor is failing, or is faulty, it may draw excess current from the circuit. This causes the circuit breakers to trip. If the frequency of circuit breaker tripping has increased significantly, especially during hotter weather, it is a definite sign of a bad compressor. A failing compressor cannot maintain the set temperature and works continuously trying to remove excess heat. This places more wear on not only the compressor but also the electrical circuit. 4. Vibration in the outdoor unit: In the outdoor unit, the compressor, apart from the fan, is the only component with moving parts inside. If the outdoor unit is vibrating or shaking unusually, there is a mechanical problem with the aircon compressor. If inspected and rectified in time, you can prevent a complete failure of the unit, thus saving a substantial amount of money. 5. Compressor oil leakage: An aircon compressor is a sealed unit, and so is the entire piping and evaporator system. If you notice oil of any component, it is coming from the compressor indicating a leak and potential failure. How to prevent premature failure of aircon compressors? Preventive maintenance contracts are the best way to extend the life of your aircon system. By subscribing to one, you can have professionals inspect the units periodically and preempt failure saving a lot of money. You may opt for the manufacturer’s preventive maintenance schedule. It is, however, costlier than private service providers, who do an equally good job. You can refer to our guide in choosing reliable aircon service expert in singapore. Regular servicing of the aircon is the best way to prevent premature failure. Compressors go bad when they are overloaded due to dirt build-up on the coils. A non-serviced aircon loses 5% efficiency every year. To maintain the required temperature, parts inside the system have to work harder to achieve the desired temperature. This causes immense wear on the compressor. Repair or replace? Aging units are harder to repair due to excessive wear, and, often, non-availability of spare parts, especially for ancient models. Repairing a faulty compressor on an old unit may not be worth if the unit has served its lifetime. For example, if you find your 7-year-old aircon’s compressor failing, it may not be worth getting it repaired, or even replaced. Parts, when they get this old, are susceptible to sudden failure. Even if you replace one or two parts, you may have to shell out more money on some other failed component. You can follow these steps if air conditioner breaks down In such a case, it is prudent to discard the previous unit and buy a new aircon. There is a difference in efficiency between an old and a new aircon. For a 7-year-old unit, a new aircon may require up to 20% less energy for the same amount of cooling. You can, therefore, save a lot in electricity bills. This alone may be sufficient to justify discarding the previous aircon and buying a new one. To prevent problems like this, it is recommended that you get your aircon serviced professionally. Book the services of a competent aircon servicing company so that you can remain worry-free. MCL Aircon provides quality installation, aircon servicing, aircon repair solutions at competitive prices in Singapore. MCL Aircon serves in all areas of Singapore. The staff is well-trained professionals who perform a quality job every time. MCL Aircon is reliable aircon servicing company in Singapore providing 24 7 booking service.
How often should aircon be serviced in Singapore?
Air conditioners are indispensable home and office appliances. An aircon can cool the surroundings within minutes and remove moisture too. This provides instant comfort. We have become so accustomed to using ACs that it is hard to imagine life without them. In providing us comfort, the aircons take a lot of hit from the environment, so aircon servicing is mandatory for optimal performance. Why is aircon servicing crucial? · Well-serviced aircons work optimally and cool faster while consuming lesser energy · Small issues detected during service can become problems that may require expensive repairs if left untreated · Aircons lose efficiency if not serviced regularly How often to get the aircon serviced? It is crucial that aircon servicing be done by a professional at least once a year People often skip service if they feel the aircon is working normally. Skipping a service is a mistake. Your unit works for hours at a time, removing dust and circulating a considerable amount of air. This dust accumulates on your aircon’s components. These are the effects of dust accumulation on critical areas: · Filters: When the filters choked with dust, airflow significantly reduces. Refer to guide on importance of clenaing air filters. · Condenser Coil: The condenser coil exchanges heat with the air. Dirt accumultes overtime which will reduce its efficiency and effectiveness. · Evaporator Coil: This is the coil inside the indoor unit. Air blows over the chilled evaporator, and that’s how your room gets cooled. Dirt affects the evaporators and impact the cooling. Avoiding aircon service means losing cooling capacity, cooling speed, and increased power consumption. Aircon servicing frequency Your aircon may require frequent service if used under certain hot and humid conditions. Consider the following points: · Usage: Hours per day of aircon use · Temperature: Higher temperature places more load on the components · Environment: Moisture and rain causes dry dust to aggregate and becomes sticky · Age: As your aircon unit ages, it would require frequent service If the aircon is used many hours a day (let’s say 18-20), or the weather in your area is hotter. Singapore, for example, has many rainy days per month and perpetual humidity. Humidity combined with heat makes the aircon works harder than usual. Increased wear and tear of the components required frequent inspection and service. If it gets damaged, aircon repair is extremely expensive in Singapore. Another environmental factor is moisture. Dust accumulates faster in moist air than drier air and begins to form solid form which will clog the aircon coils and filters. You may not notice changes until the aircon loses much efficiency. Older units have weaker parts with years of wear and tear. They will fail if the system isn’t given the right treatment. In such harder usage conditions, have your aircon inspected every 3-4 months. This periodic maintenance will keep the evaporator and condenser coils clean, and the aircon retains its efficiency. See how often you need to service your aircon Signs to look out for Under normal circumstances, continuous usage leads to a minimal decrease in efficiency and other parameters. Those are very hard to notice just by using the aircon. Some signs point to a significant problem and could cause significant failure if not rectified early. 1. Decreased Cooling: If there is a drastic increase in the time required to get your surroundings to cool, be alert. There could be some problem with the aircon. While hotter days will also increase the cooling time, problems can be observed easily. An aircon loses cooling if its coils are clogged, or there is a leak in the piping leading to loss of refrigerant. Consult your Aircon Servicing technician or service agency and have them inspect the system. 2. Water Dripping from the indoor unit: Dripping water means there is a clog in the outlet pipe for condensed water. Alignment issues during aircon installation sometimes cause water to drip instead of getting inside the outlet pipe. Another reason could be the icing of the evaporator coils. When refrigerant pressure in the aircon system is low, the coils on the indoor unit (evaporator) have an ice formation. That ice can lead to water dripping your aircon. Have Aircon service technician inspect the system, and you may need to get the aircon refrigerant recharged. 3. Compressor not cutting off: The outdoor unit, also called the compressor, is responsible for venting excess heat. After the surroundings cool to the desired temperature, the compressor cuts off for some time until there is a further requirement for cooling. The compressor may have clogged coils that won’t allow it to exchange heat effectively, or there could be a problem of refrigerant pressure. You may try cleaning the compressor coils yourself but if that does not fix the issue, have a aircon servicing expert to take a look at your aircon unit. 4. Compressor not turning on: The compressor needs to turn on for the aircon to start cooling. If you feel that after a few minutes, there is no cold air coming out of the aircon, then you probably have an issue with the compressor not turning ON. The fan will still turn, but it’ll blow air at the temperature of your surroundings. Common reasons for this are capacitor failure, thermostat failure, or compressor failure. These issues cannot be fixed without a contacting a aircon servicing professional. You must not try to attempt any fix on such issues. There are electrical hazards, and the refrigerants can cause choking. Aircon repair is very expensive and is quite common in older aircon units that have been in use for multiple years. Relatively new aircons can also suffer such damage if servicing is not done correctly on time. 5. Thermostat / Temperature sensor failure: If the aircon is not cooling as per the set temperature i.e., it is overcooling / undercooling, or not cooling at all, there could be issues with the thermostat or the temperature sensor that are collectively responsible for controlling the cooling of the aircon. This issue would also require the services of a professional aircon servicing technician. Conclusion The air conditioner is a very useful equipemnt at home, without which the surroundings may become uncomfortable and, often,