Even if you have annual maintenance done on your air conditioner, it may still need to have repairs occasionally as parts wear out. For instance, the capacitor in your AC might wear out and need to be replaced before you need to get a new air conditioner. The capacitor in your condenser might wear out due to stress during a heatwave or it could just die from old age.

When the capacitor goes bad, it should be replaced quickly or the fan motor could wear out. Here are signs the condenser capacitor needs to be replaced by an AC repair technician and how it's done.

Signs The Capacitor Might Be Bad

The capacitor in your condenser doesn't make noise when it's working properly. When it starts to go bad, it might make a humming noise. The capacitor sends power to the fan motor, so you might also notice the motor struggling to start when the fan tries to kick on. This could cause the fan motor to burn out, so replacing the capacitor quickly is important or your AC could break down and then your house would get hot and stuffy.

Repairs Are Easy When Done Early

If you catch the problem early before damage is done to the fan motor, then all the AC repair technician has to do is replace the capacitor. This is a common and easy AC repair since the capacitor is easy to reach. The technician has to remove the panel on the condenser first, and then the capacitor is in plain view and can be taken out easily.

However, a capacitor holds an electric charge, so it has to be discharged before it can be handled safely. The capacitor has wires on it that need to be removed, and then it can be taken out of the bracket that holds it in place. The AC repair technician selects the right type of capacitor and puts it in the bracket. The wires are attached, and the repair should be complete.

Checks On Other Parts Is A Good Idea

The AC repair technician can verify the capacitor is bad by using a multimeter to check for continuity. They may also test other parts before turning the AC back on just to make sure the capacitor was the only problem. They may pay particular attention to the fan motor to make sure it wasn't damaged by the bad capacitor. If so, the motor needs to be repaired or replaced too. Replacing the motor is more work since it's hidden under the fan. The entire fan assembly has to be taken out and taken apart to reach the motor to replace it.

Contact a professional to learn more about AC repair.