{"id":597,"date":"2019-09-09T11:00:16","date_gmt":"2019-09-09T15:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.accomfort.us\/blog\/?p=597"},"modified":"2026-06-24T03:40:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T07:40:24","slug":"dead-compressor-mean-need-a-new-ac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.accomfort.us\/blog\/air-conditioning-service\/dead-compressor-mean-need-a-new-ac\/","title":{"rendered":"Dead Compressor\u2014Does It Mean You Need a New AC?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ACWhat\u2019s the worst problem a central air conditioner can face? We won\u2019t keep you in\u2014it\u2019s a <\/span>failed AC compressor issue<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> When you turn on the air conditioning system to cool down your home, and you hear no sound from the outdoor cabinet aside from the fan, the compressor has stopped working. The fault might not be a dead compressor\u2014it could be a failed capacitor or an electrical issue\u2014but it\u2019s a possibility.<\/p>\n

The compressor is the literal heart of an air conditioning system. It\u2019s where energy is applied to the refrigerant to make it circulate through the rest of the AC. Without the compressor to turn refrigerant into a high-pressure hot gas, the refrigerant won\u2019t move between the indoor and outdoor coils and cool the inside air of the house.<\/p>\n

Is This the End of the Line for Your Air Conditioner?<\/h3>\n

You may have heard or read that seeing <\/span>warning signs of compressor failure<\/span><\/a> means the entire air conditioning system must be replaced.<\/span> It\u2019s not true 100% of the time, but it\u2019s often the case. The compressor is an expensive item to replace. Because dead compressors usually happen in old air conditioners, it\u2019s more cost-effective to start over with a new AC rather than pay to put a new compressor into a system that\u2019s already wasting power and a few years from the junk heap.<\/p>\n

Below is helpful breakdown of the different choices you have when the compressor fails.<\/p>\n