A circuit breaker trips when it detects an appliance, such as an air conditioner, drawing excessive current in your house in Gustine, CA. By tripping, the circuit breaker cuts the electricity supply, thus preventing damage to your appliances. Below, we discuss some reasons for an AC system tripping the breaker.
Clogged Air Filter
A clogged air filter denies the air conditioner enough air for cooling, creating a barrier that inhibits free airflow. Consequently, the AC system works harder than necessary to bring in air from your living space. The harder it works, the more electricity it consumes.
Replace your air filter regularly to allow air to enter your air conditioner freely. If you have a smart thermostat, you can also set a reminder. Changing your air filter often also prevents other issues such as uneven temperature distribution, high electricity bills and accelerated wear and tear of your system’s components.
Faulty Compressor
A compressor alters the refrigerant’s temperature and pressure for the fluid to release the heat absorbed in your house to the environment. When this component is faulty, it struggles to start when you turn on the AC system. We call this situation hard starting.
The hard-starting compressor draws excessive current, tripping the breaker. One of the signs of a hard-starting compressor is a vibrating outdoor unit. You need to ask a service technician to inspect your air conditioner when you notice this sign.
Dirty Outdoor Unit
The refrigerant transfers heat to the surroundings when it reaches the outdoor coil. If contaminants are clogging the outdoor unit, the refrigerant cannot release the heat to the environment efficiently. Consequently, the system works longer than necessary, drawing more current than usual.
Schedule regular AC maintenance services to have your air conditioner’s components cleaned and inspected regularly. It’s a good idea to schedule these services in the spring to make the AC system ready for the summer heat.
Instead of repeatedly resetting your circuit breaker, seek a long-term solution to the underlying problem. Our team has sufficient knowledge, skills, experience and tools to handle any air conditioning issue. For service in Gustine, CA, call the air conditioning repair experts at CEN-CAL AIR Heating and Cooling.
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