$67Heating check, per system. We check your furnace or heat pump before winter. Through December 31.$67 heating check before winterBook Online
Open 24/7 for emergencies5.0 stars, 1,132 reviews
Residential
Service Areas
(703) 997-9757CallBook Online
MenuClose
Heating
Air Conditioning
Plumber
Drains & Sewers
Water Heater
Duct & Dryer Vent Cleaning
Price Estimators
Offers
About Us
Service Areas
Commercial
Call (703) 997-9757Book Online

Open 24/7 for emergencies

Video · AC Repair and Troubleshooting

Bad AC Compressor Symptoms: Gauges Before a Verdict

Bad AC compressor symptoms include weak cooling, loud or new noises outdoors and a breaker that keeps tripping. Smaller parts cause the same signs, so get the compressor tested before anyone quotes a new system.

Call (703) 997-9757

5.0 stars across 1,132 reviews

Get your price in writing

Send this and the office calls or texts you back to set a time.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

We’ll call or text this number about your request. By sending it you agree to our terms and privacy policy.

Rather talk now? (703) 997-9757

Licensed and insuredVirginia Class A contractor #2705192276

24/7 emergency serviceOften same-day, and we will tell you honestly when we can get there.

Our own HVAC installersA dedicated heating and cooling team, separate from our plumbers

Price in writing firstYou see every option priced before anything is ordered

What you’re seeing in this video

A SwiftPro tech in a navy hoodie and beanie kneels at an outdoor AC condenser beside a brick house with the service panel off. He hooks digital manifold gauges to the service ports on the copper refrigerant lines, the tool that reads pressure on both sides of the compressor.

The close-ups stay on his hands at the lines and fittings. The text on screen lists five warning signs of a failing compressor, the motor-driven pump inside the outdoor unit that moves refrigerant through the whole system.

Job footageSwiftPro
Topic
AC Repair and Troubleshooting
Length
0:34
Posted
September 24, 2026
Shot by
The SwiftPro crew, Northern Virginia

Why it matters in your house

  • A breaker that trips every time the AC kicks on can mean a compressor pulling too much current, but a bad capacitor or contactor can do the same. Testing tells you which one you're paying for.
  • Grinding, banging or a loud hum from the outdoor unit at startup is worth a call before it turns into a system that won't start at all.
  • Pressure readings show whether the compressor is actually pumping. One that moves refrigerant fine but starts hard may only need a new capacitor or a hard start kit.

Can a bad AC compressor be fixed, or do I need a new AC?

Sometimes the compressor is fine and the part feeding it power has failed, which is a small repair. If the compressor itself is shorted or seized, replacing it on an older system often costs close to a new outdoor unit, so age matters. A tech should test it and show you the readings before you decide.

Want it done at your place? See AC Repair and Troubleshooting at SwiftPro or call (703) 997-9757.

More videos from the SwiftPro crew

A young tech opens the electrical panel on an outdoor AC condenser beside a house; close-up of the run capacitor and contactor wiring.0:29What Does an AC Capacitor Do? A Look Inside the PanelA young tech beside a brick house holds a new contactor and explains why to replace it before it fails, then a close-up of a worn contactor and wiring inside an outdoor AC unit.0:34AC Contactor Replaced Early: What a Pitted One Looks LikeA bearded tech in a camo hoodie drives screws into an outdoor electrical disconnect box beside a line set, then a finished basement sump pump install with a sealed basin lid and white PVC discharge pi0:21AC Condenser Disconnect Install, Then a Finished Sump PumpAC troubleshooting at a townhouse condenser in the rain: a tech checks refrigerant with gauges at the service valves, a tech in a Trane hoodie tests wiring with a multimeter at a Trane condenser, and 0:36AC Running but Not Cooling: Gauges, a Meter and the CoilTwo techs work inside an opened high-efficiency gas furnace in a basement.1:03Wet Switch on a Basement Furnace: How It Stops a LeakAttic air handler explainer: a tech crawls through an attic, slides the blower assembly out of an air handler, and a new air handler with refrigerant lines and a condensate pump.0:32Signs of a Bad Air Handler, Shown From an Attic Blower Pull

See all 234 SwiftPro videos

Want this done at your house?

Rather pick the day yourself? Book online.

Call (703) 997-9757 Get your price in writing

SwiftPro Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
4230 Lafayette Center Dr N, Chantilly, VA 20151
44679 Endicott Dr, Suite 211, Ashburn, VA 20147
Virginia Class A contractor license #2705192276

Call Now Book Online
5.01,132 reviews