Over the Christmas Holidays I received a call from Lilly whose heater was not working. Little did she know her capacitor was not working properly. 
Lilly had an HVAC company come out to get the heater looked at earlier but did not like what was being told to her. The technician stated the unit was 13 years old, used R22, was not repairable due to rust around the coils, and she needed a new HVAC system.
Lilly sensed that something didn’t seem right as no repair option was given and wanted a second opinion. That’s when she called Tropical Air of Central Florida.
I sent one of our top technicians, Amanda and within hours gave Lilly good news:
“Yes, the system is old and will eventually need to be replaced, but not today. The run capacitor is the cause for the system not to work”.
Within 30 minutes Lilly was all smiles and thankful for Tropical Air of Central Florida for repairing her AC so quickly and without breaking her budget.
Know Your Capacitor
When it comes to residents, knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your HVAC systems.
Here’s a quick capacitor summary for you:
Start Capacitors are used during startup to help produce enough torque to bring the motor to full speed. In hot environments, the capacitor may be over worked and fail. So, if your system is having a hard time starting up, it may be a simple (and inexpensive) resolve.
Run Capacitors maintain a constant voltage supply to the motor and increases torque at startup and efficiency once the motor is running. For Lilly, the run capacitor needed to be replaced. Amanda replaced and Lilly’s system was up and running in no time at all.
The most common signs and symptoms of a faulty AC capacitor include:
- AC won’t turn on
- AC not blowing cold air
- AC shuts off on its own
- AC takes a while to start once you turn it on
- Humming sound coming from your air conditioner
Before spending thousands on a new unit, take the time and get all the facts. If your system is not working as it should, have a licensed/insured technician you trust complete the repair. Ultimately I recommend going with your gut… Lilly did and saved a load of money.
If you have any questions about your ac system, give Tropical Air of Central Florida a call at 407-732-7044.
Carla Wemp
Office Coordinator
407-732-7044
Tropical Air of Central Florida