The AC Repair We Rarely Recommend
The AC Repair We Can Make But Usually Don't Recommend
- A “Compressor Repair” is typically a whole replacement
- Your compressor is the heart of your system and responsible for heat transfer
- Compressor replacement is one of the most expensive fixes, ranging from $1,200 to $2,800 in North Dallas
- We suggest replacing the compressor if your unit is under eight years old
- Compressor replacement is not a DIY repair
AC Compressor Replacement Can Sometimes Be a Mistake
You might expect an HVAC contractor like Colony Air Conditioning & Heating to be ready to jump in and handle any type of air conditioning repair project. And of course, we are always happy to help our customers in the Frisco and Plano area. However, we rarely recommend replacing the compressor in your air conditioner.
When this part fails, it’s not as simple as just getting a new one and putting it in. Installing a compressor is a complicated process and the cost reflects that. Read on to find out what makes this particular fix so complex and why we rarely suggest “fixing your compressor.”
What Does the AC Compressor Do?
You can think of the compressor as the heart of your air conditioner. When cool air is flowing through your home in Frisco on a hot summer day, you have the compressor to thank. Its job is to pressurize refrigerant gas, enabling it to carry heat from inside your home to the outdoor coil, where that heat energy can be dumped.
It’s the process of refrigerant gas circulating through the system that enables an air conditioner to do what it does, and that simply isn’t possible without the compressor. If the compressor goes down, the refrigerant won’t circulate through the lines, heat won’t be transferred outside, and your home will remain hot. Since the compressor runs constantly any time the AC is on, this component works hard over the course of its life. The weather in North Dallas wears compressors out pretty quickly, so the question of repairing compressors comes up a lot.
Why Does Compressor Replacement Cost So Much?
Here are a few reasons:
- An expensive part. Simply buying a replacement compressor for your air conditioner is an expensive endeavor. Compressors are manufactured to tight tolerances and come with lofty price tags. If your system in North Dallas needs a two-stage or variable-speed compressor, the cost will be even higher.
- Labor-intensive replacement. Replacing a compressor involves recovering all of the refrigerant from the system, disconnecting the old compressor, and removing it from the unit. Then, the new compressor needs to be installed, and the refrigerant has to be recharged before the air conditioner can be used. It’s a job that can take even the most experienced HVAC technician three to five hours.
- Cost of refrigerant. The type of refrigerant in your air conditioner can have a huge impact on the final cost. This is particularly true for systems that use R-22 refrigerant, as it has been phased out and prices have climbed steadily as supplies have dwindled.
Clear Signs Your Compressor Is the Problem
If your air conditioner isn’t working as it should, don’t just assume the compressor is to blame. There are many components within an AC system, and problems with one part often mimic others. That’s why it’s so important to have an HVAC technician carefully inspect your air conditioner to get to the heart of the matter.
With that said, there are some common signs that often point to compressor failure in Frisco. Noticing these signs doesn’t automatically mean the compressor is failing, but they should encourage you to have a professional take a closer look:
- Outdoor unit won’t start. If you hear the condenser running, but the unit won’t kick on, your compressor may have seized up. The humming is the sound of the unit drawing power, but it is no longer able to start. It should be noted that this sign can also point to a bad capacitor, which is an easy and affordable fix.
- Breaker trips frequently. If your compressor is drawing too much power when it first starts up (hard starting), your circuit breaker might keep tripping. This is common in compressors on their way out.
- Outdoor fan runs without the compressor. Pay attention to the noise you hear while the air conditioner is running. Is the fan outside spinning without the compressor kicking on? That likely means the compressor itself has failed. In this situation, you’ll typically get warm air from your vents.
Why Do Compressors in Texas Fail?
Sudden compressor failures that come out of the blue are rare. Most of the time, when a compressor in Carrollton or Plano fails, it’s because of a problem that has been present for some time.
Often, the problem in question is a refrigerant leak. When an AC system is low on refrigerant, the compressor itself overheats as it runs, and the internal components start to wear down. Gradually, those components will degrade and the compressor will stop working.
Another way to damage the compressor is to leave the condenser coils dirty. When the outdoor coils are dirty (often due to cottonwood), they can’t get rid of heat as effectively. This places more strain on the system. Having regular maintenance performed on the system, including coil cleaning, will go a long way toward protecting the compressor.
Of course, there is also the simple matter of wear and tear to consider. As an air conditioner ages, the compressor wears out. This is true even of the best equipment, and even when maintenance is performed. At some point, the compressor won’t have anything left to give. North Dallas’s weather often means that happens sooner rather than later.
The Rare Times Compressor Replacement Makes Sense
We’ve made it clear that replacing a compressor is a costly job, and most of the time, it makes more sense to replace the whole air conditioner rather than paying to install a new compressor.
With that said, this isn’t blanket advice, and there are situations where the compressor replacement is a smart move. Consider the following:
- You have a young system. If your system is less than eight years old, the compressor failure might be an isolated incident. The rest of the system could have many years of useful life left, so replacing the compressor can be a wise investment.
- You know the root cause. It’s concerning to replace a compressor when you don’t know why it failed in the first place. You can feel more confident when the cause of the compressor failure is known and has been addressed. For example, if you had a refrigerant leak that has been fixed, the new compressor should perform reliably for years to come.
- You are under the 50% rule. A general rule in HVAC states that you shouldn’t spend more than 50% of what a new system would cost on a repair. For instance, if a new system would cost $5,000, you shouldn’t go over $2,500 for a repair. Use this rule when evaluating your situation, and if you are comfortably under 50%, replacing the compressor might be worth it.
When You’ll Want to Get a New System Instead
To understand when it makes sense to get a new air conditioner, you only need to turn the section above on its head. Take the opposite of the bullets above and see it as a sign that compressor replacement doesn’t make sense.
If you have a system that is more than 10 years old, don’t know why the compressor failed, or are over that 50% threshold, get a quote on a new air conditioner. It’ll be a better use of your money over the long run, as you’ll get warranty coverage and improved efficiency with a new system.
One other thing to think about here is a pattern of repair needs. Have you been calling regularly to get help with your air conditioner? That pattern probably won’t stop with the compressor. Break that cycle with a new system and leave those headaches (and expenses) behind.
A Comparison Breakdown
The table below outlines the three most common paths to take when an AC compressor fails. Of course, you don’t have to make this choice on your own. Feel free to call us at 972.591.0293 to get help from an experienced technician.
| Factor | Replacing Compressor | Replacing Outdoor Unit | Replacing Entire System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical Cost | $1,200 - $2,800 | $3,000 - $5,000 | $5,000 - $12,000 |
| What’s Covered | Compressor only | Outdoor unit (compressor, condenser coil, fan) | Outdoor unit and indoor coil/air handler |
| Warranty | Compressor part warranty, labor warranty on repair | New outdoor unit warranty, often 5-10 years. Indoor coil isn’t covered as a mismatched component | Full system warranty, typically 5-10 years |
| Efficiency Impact | None | Improved efficiency, but limited by older indoor coil | Full efficiency gain with new equipment throughout |
| Best Suited For | Younger systems under 8 years with isolated compressor failure | Situations where indoor coil is newer and is in good condition | Systems 12+ years old, or system with a history of repairs |
| Risk of Future Issues | Other aging components are unaddressed and could fail next | Mismatched system components can create efficiency and reliability issues | Lower risk as the entire system is new and under warranty coverage |
What Experts Look for Before Making Recommendations
Compressor problems are too serious to rush to judgment about what should come next. A true HVAC expert will work through a few specific steps before giving an opinion on whether replacing the compressor or the whole system is the better course of action. Specifically, they should check off the following points as part of this process:
- Confirming that the compressor is the problem. Since there are other issues that can look like a compressor failure from the outside, the first step should be making sure it’s actually the compressor that has gone wrong.
- Finding the root cause of the failure. Why did the compressor fail? Was it because of dirty coils, a refrigerant leak, electrical issues, or simply old age? These various causes can point toward different next steps, and may indicate the need for other repairs besides the compressor replacement.
- Assessing the rest of the system. It would be irresponsible to recommend a compressor replacement without considering how the rest of the system is faring. If multiple other parts are getting close to wearing out, the compressor replacement would soon be followed by other expensive repairs.
- Running the numbers. In addition to the points above, a technician should do some math and see how a compressor replacement looks in light of the 50% rule that we mentioned previously.
Questions to Ask Before Going Forward with a Compressor Replacement
So, you find yourself holding a repair quote for a compressor replacement, and you are trying to decide what to do. In that situation, it can help to ask a few direct questions before you commit to a path forward.
- What caused the compressor to fail?
- This is the first question you should ask, and if you don’t get a clear answer, the technician likely hasn’t done a full diagnosis of the system. Without fixing the root cause, this new compressor may meet the same fate as the old one.
- How does the rest of the system look?
- You’ll want to know if everything else in the system is in proper working order, or if there are signs that other parts are getting close to failure, as well.
- What is the expected lifespan of my current system?
- There’s no way to know exactly how long an air conditioner will last, but ask the technician to provide an estimate on how many years may be remaining. It’s a far different matter to put a new compressor in a system that could last another decade as compared to one that is likely to fail within the next couple of years.
- What would a full system replacement cost?
- Get an accurate quote not only for the compressor replacement, but also for the full system replacement. Putting these two numbers side-by-side is the only way to make an informed choice.
Call 972.591.0293 Today for Assistance
Dealing with a failed AC compressor is an urgent matter. Whether you decide to accept the AC compressor repair cost or just have a whole new system installed, it’s not something you can put off. With average high temperatures in Frisco that exceed 90*F for four straight months, this isn’t the kind of place you want to live without reliable AC.
Reach out to us now by calling our office or filling out the form here on our site. Either way, you’ll be connected with a team of technicians who have consistently earned rave reviews and will always offer you honest, upfront advice. And if compressor replacement is not the right call, we’ll explain why.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is compressor failure so common in Frisco?
Compressor failures occur in North Dallas for a handful of different reasons. The first is our area’s extreme summer heat. These lead poorly maintained systems to fail quicker than in other markets. Second, we have a lot of cottonwood buildup. Regular preventive maintenance can go a long way toward avoiding this outcome.
Is it worth replacing an AC compressor?
The two main factors you should weigh in this decision are the age of the system and the cost of a replacement. If your system is less than 10 years old and everything else is in good condition, a replacement might be worthwhile. On the other hand, with a system in the 12 to 15 year range, the math rarely works out.
What drives the cost of this replacement so high?
The compressor is the most expensive part of an air conditioning system, so purchasing a replacement is a big part of the cost of the project. In addition, there is substantial labor involved. The technician has to recover the existing refrigerant, remove the old compressor, install the new one, and recharge it. When you combine the cost of the part and the number of labor hours, it’s easy to see how these projects wind up being so expensive.
Do your compressor replacements come with warranties?
We stand behind all of our repair work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. With that said, replacing your compressor may still not be the right choice, even with warranty protection. If you would like to know more about the specifics of the coverage we offer, please reach out to us at 972.591.0293 for assistance.
What exactly does a compressor do?
The compressor is responsible for pressurizing the refrigerant in your air conditioning system. Pressurized refrigerant is what makes the entire cooling process possible. When refrigerant reaches the compressor, it is a low-pressure gas. It is then squeezed into a high-pressure and high-temperature gas that flows to the outside, where the heat is released before the refrigerant returns inside and starts the process again. If the compressor isn’t working, the system can’t function.
What’s the cost of a new compressor in Frisco?
Having a new compressor installed in North Dallas will typically cost between $1,200 and $2,800. That’s a wide range, as there are many variables involved in the final price, such as the size and type of compressor that is required, and the brand of the air conditioner in question. The only way to get an accurate quote for the project is to have our technicians visit your home to inspect the system. We offer free second opinions for major repairs like this!
Can I install a new compressor myself?
No. This is not a DIY project for a variety of reasons. First, you are legally required to hold an EPA 608 certification to handle refrigerants. You would also need specialized equipment to perform this project successfully. Attempting this project without the right qualifications can be dangerous and risks doing immediate damage to the new compressor. This is an HVAC project that needs to be left to the trained professionals.
Do I need a permit to replace my compressor?
In North Dallas, a permit is often needed when replacing a compressor because the job involves refrigerant handling. As part of the project, we will be responsible for pulling any necessary permits to complete the work legally. If you have talked to a contractor who suggested that you should handle the permits, move on and call us at 972.591.0293 instead.
What tells you the compressor is the issue?
A good technician will look at the full picture of the whole AC system to determine if the compressor is to blame. Common indicators of a problem include the AC running but not producing cool air, the outdoor unit humming or buzzing while the fan isn’t spinning, or the system struggling to kick on. You might also notice that your breaker keeps tripping while the air conditioner is trying to run.