So last night was July 4th and the usual "blow their hand off" geniuses were out reveling the night with firecrackers. Me, I was home updating my blog, but little did I know I was about to get an unexpected visit from The Heat Miser. https://youtu.be/wbfgVEk-mxQ
Fast forward to 3:30 AM, and I was awakened by my sweat soaked body. I was like you got to be kidding me, there's no way in hell in the middle of the hottest summer on record my A/C just took a vacation to Santorini?
I went over to the A/C unit and I could hear it working, so I walked by back into my bedroom and put my hand to the vent and felt nothing. So I went outside to check the main fan and the compressor, and that's where the problem was. I
The Main fan on the compressor was out.
I didn't panic and I had no intention of calling an A/C tech, not before I at least googled the issue on the web and youtube to see if it's something I could fix myself. If there's one thing I've learned, if you know exactly what to search for, you're most likely going to find a simple solution using google or on youtube.
Luckily I found this very informative and easy to follow video on how to fix the exact issue I had called "How to fix your AC! Outdoor fan not running.". https://youtu.be/bpYHcXwu9JA
The only thing I now needed was a replacement A/C capacitor for my unit model. Unfortunately Home Depot nor Lowes carried the part in-store, and there was no way I was going to wait a day or two under Heat Misers hell rays for the shipped part to arrive. So I googled A/C supply stores in my area. I found and called a few stores, but only A & A Supply had the exact part for my A/C model, even better they opened at 7:30 AM.
I was at their door at exactly 7:30AM and bought the capacitor for $39. If you google the cost of replacing an A/C capacitor it can range in the $400 region for part and installation, so I saved a bundle.
To make a long story short my A/C was up and running and breathing out much needed cold air into my house at 8:10 AM.
The dudes who work at A & A Supply know their trade, I was offered unsolicited information as to why my capacitor failed and also how to re-install it which was much appreciated. read more