AC Not Keeping Up? It Might Be More Than One Problem

When your AC is running but just not keeping up, the easy assumption is low refrigerant. And sometimes that's it. But on this call, we found two separate issues working against the system - low 410A refrigerant and a failed capacitor. Either one alone will hurt performance. Together, they can make your home feel like the AC isn't even on.

The capacitor is a small part with a big job. It gives the compressor and fan motor the electrical kick they need to start up and run properly. When it fails, the system struggles - sometimes it won't start at all, sometimes it limps along drawing more power than it should. We pulled the old one out and replaced it with a fresh MARS 45+5uF 440VAC unit. Quality part, properly rated for the system.

From there, we recharged the refrigerant back to the correct level and added sealant to help protect against future slow leaks. Refrigerant doesn't just disappear - if a system is low, there's usually a reason. The sealant gives the system a fighting chance to stay sealed up and hold its charge longer.

After both repairs, the unit was back to running the way it should. That's the thing about AC diagnostics - you can't always stop at the first answer you find. We check the whole picture so we're not just putting a band-aid on one issue while something else is quietly killing the system.

If your AC is running but your house isn't getting cool, don't wait until it quits completely. Small issues like these are fixable now. Left alone, they tend to turn into bigger, more expensive problems right when you need the system most.