Part 4 — Why Your A/C Needs to Be Ready for Summer

The Capacitor: The $20 Part That Can Shut Down Your Whole System

One of the most common reasons an air conditioner stops working on the first hot day of summer is a bad capacitor.

The capacitor is a small electrical component inside your outdoor condenser. Its job is to give the compressor and fan motor the extra electrical push they need to start and run properly.

Over time capacitors wear out due to:

• Heat from the condenser

• Electrical load

• Age and normal use

When a capacitor starts failing you may notice:

• The outdoor unit humming but not starting

• The fan spinning slowly or not at all

• Your A/C blowing warm air

• Breakers tripping

• The system working one day and failing the next

The tricky part is that capacitors often fail suddenly. A system can run fine in the spring and then quit the first 90-degree day of summer when it’s under heavy load.

During a Spring A/C Tune-Up, one of the things I check is the microfarad rating of the capacitor to make sure it’s still within tolerance. Catching a weak capacitor early can prevent a no-cool emergency later.

It’s a small part, but when it fails your entire system stops.

That’s why seasonal maintenance matters.

Spring A/C Tune-Up – $125

Residential systems up to 5 tons

Includes:

• Condenser coil cleaning

• Capacitor testing

• Refrigerant pressure check

• Contactor inspection

• Electrical inspection

Serving Carlisle • Sullivan • Vincennes • Wabash Valley

Book online:

https://calendar.app.google/RFxkrVPoP6B2khvt7

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