Yes, a power outage and associated power surges can damage components of your air conditioner.
How can a power outage damage your air conditioner?
Power outages can be caused by differing conditions:
- your utility company may need to de-energise the power network for maintenance works
- severe weather events including a lightning strike can also cause loss of electricity supply.
- a vehicle accident eg running into a power pole.
- animals can get into sub stations and cause power outages.
The actual power outage is not the main culprit for damage to your air conditioning unit. It is when the power is restored that damage occurs to your cooling system components. The restoration of the power can cause a voltage spike during a power surge which can damage the electrical system. A tripped circuit breaker on its own can cause a power outage to the
Tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses
The sudden ingress of current can trip the circuit breaker. Once power has been restored, check the circuit breakers to ensure none have tripped. Reset any tripped individual circuit breakers. When a breaker trips it disconnects power to the hvac / air conditioning system. The trip will protect both the circuit and the air conditioner from excessive current which could damage the air conditioner or circuit.
An overloaded circuit can also cause a circuit breaker to trip stopping power supply to the ac unit. This can be caused by an incorrect sized circuit breaker and loose electrical connections . A qualified technician can help diagnose these issues should they occur.
If your ac circuit trips more than once – it is advisable to determine the cause of the trip – to alleviate future outages from occurring.
Our tip: if in any doubt as to how to reset the circuit breaker, call us for a professional technician to attend and check your hvac equipment to ensure it is safe to operate.
Compressor damage from power surges
The compressor’s role in the system is for circulating refrigerant through both the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. It is the heart of the air conditioning system.The operation of the compressor is controlled by printed circuit boards. These can be damaged by power spikes and prevent your ac system from providing cold air. Damage to printed circuit boards can lead to costly repairs. Should the compressor itself be damaged by electrical surges, you will not get any heating or cooling from your hvac equipment. This will then require replacement of the compressor or system which can be costly.
Our tip: If your ac unit fails to start following a power outage, call us for a repair professional to attend and diagnose to see if any internal components have been damaged.
Damaged capacitors
Electrical surges can also damage capacitors. Capacitors are used to start compressor motors and the fan motors in both the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. A capacitor can fail due to age, without any outside influences. If a capacitor blows, this will impede the operation of your hvac system. A hvac technician will be required to replace the blown capacitor to enable your air conditioner to produce cool air again.
Our tip: if your system doesn’t start or starts exhibiting unusual behavior – call a qualified technician.
Thermostat or control board failure
Damage to a unit controller/ thermostat or a printed circuit board can have detrimental effect on the operation of your ac unit. These can cause intermittent problems or the air conditioning system may not operate at all. A power surge can damage both of these and will require a hvac technician to attend to diagnose and repair.
What troubleshooting steps should I follow after a power outage?
Step 1: Check your power supply
Once power has been restored following a power outage, check to ensure all circuit breakers are on. If any have tripped, reset them. If breakers trip immediately you turn them back on, then you need to contact a hvac professional to rectify the fault.
Step 2: Check your remote control or thermostat
Try and operate your air conditioner using either the wall mount controller or remote. If your system operates and is cooling satisfactorily, then it appears that little or no damage has been done.
Will regular servicing and maintenance protect my air conditioner from power outage damage?
Not really. Damage from a power surge is an external factor and there is nothing we can do from a maintenance perspective to mitigate that damage.