During the warmer months, your air conditioner unit is the only thing keeping you sane in the house and at work. If something goes wrong with that unit, what do you do? Get a new one? Well, we have news for you. You don’t always need to invest in an entirely new air conditioner if your current unit stops working. You can also just replace the air conditioner compressor if that is the part with a fault in it.
The next important question is: How much does an air conditioner compressor cost? You may want to compare the cost of getting a new unit with that of getting the current one repaired in order to make a wise decision. We will be discussing this in detail in this article. Let’s go.
What is an air conditioner compressor?
An air conditioner cools the air using a refrigerant which is a substance that helps remove all the heat from hot air. The function of an air conditioner compressor is to circulate this refrigerant throughout the air conditioner. This works similar to the heart pumping blood all over the body. Most of the time the reason your air conditioner is not working is that there is some issue with the compressor.
Doe your air conditioner compressor require replacement?
Check for the following signs in order to determine if your air conditioner compressor needs to be replaced:
- There is refrigerant leaking down the outdoor unit.
- The air conditioner is frequently shutting down the circuit breaker.
- The outdoor unit of the air conditioner shakes when turning on.
- You can hear the outdoor unit creating strange noises.
Even if you notice some of these signs, don’t just jump towards changing your air conditioner or its compressor. Make sure you get the unit checked out by a technician because there might some other smaller issue at hand.
Cost for Air Conditioner Compressor Replacement
Now let’s move towards the most important question. How much does an air conditioner compressor cost? Now, this depends on whether your air compressor is on warranty or not. If your air compressor is on warranty, this will cost you around $600 to $1200. However, if your air compressor is not on warranty then the cost may go up to about $2500. You will also have to pay the labor that comes to replace your unit as this is not something that you can do on your own. Labor cost ranges between $10 to $150 per hour.
Cost of other supplies
You will also need to consider the cost of additional supplies. Even if there is a warranty on your air conditioner, you will have to pay for these supplies yourself. These supplies include:
- Recharge of refrigerant
- This will cost you around $150 to $300.
- Electrical connectors and misc silver solder
- The price of these supplies ranges between $15 and $25.
- Hard start kit, contractor, and capacitor
- This will cost you between $35 to $150.
- Line dryer or filter
- This costs between $35 to $70.
- Copper fittings and connectors
- This is for $35 to $100.
- Installation supplies
- Varies with brand and location.
Factors that affect the cost
Various factors affect the cost of an air conditioner compressor replacement. We have already mentioned that the warranty of the unit is the first and foremost thing that needs to be considered when replacing your compressor. However, you also need to consider other factors like:
- Size of the air conditioner compressor
The bigger the unit, the more it will cost to repair or replace it. Smaller places might have smaller air conditioners whereas bigger houses need bigger units to cool them. The size is usually measured in BTU or tons.
- Type of air compressor
This is also very important. Different types of air compressors have varying costs so this also affects the overall cost. The two main types are single-stage and dual-stage compressors. Single-stage compressors cost about $300 less than their dual-stage counterparts.
- Consumer rating
Consumer rating is very important in determining how much will it cost you to get the unit replaced. Brands with higher consumer ratings will surely be more expensive.
Replace the air conditioner or replace the compressor?
Replacing the entire unit or just getting the air compressor replaced, both cost way too much. Therefore, it is very important to decide which one you should go for. If your unit is on warranty then it is only wise to replace the compressor. However, if the warranty has expired, you might consider replacing the air conditioner. You will also need to consider your budget and your requirements before you make this decision.
Conclusion
Replacing your air conditioner compressor will cost you a lot so make sure you take this decision after proper research. We believe the whole process will cost you between $3300 to $6000. Get your unit checked out by an expert before you make any replacements. If you have any other questions, please reach out to us so that we can assist you further.
FAQ’s
1. Is it worth replacing the compressor on the AC unit?
Answer: This depends on how much it will cost you to replace the compressor and how long this replacement will last. If this is good enough for you then you can surely consider replacing the compressor. If this is not worth your time and effort then consider replacing the whole unit.
2. How long do compressors last in air conditioners?
Answer: The durability of air conditioner compressors depends on the quality of the manufacturing materials and the technology used in the unit. High-quality compressors can easily last up to 10 years if maintained properly.
3. What causes AC compressor failure?
Answer: This can be caused due to multiple reasons but one major reason is usually compressor overheating which leads to its failure
