Air conditioner fans should not start turning slowly, and you surely don’t want this to occur during the hot days of summer. Your fan needs to be able to reach high speeds in order to offer a timely cooling relief when the weather is battling against it. Although some circumstances will require a trained professional, there are some air conditioning fan problems that can be resolved with some simple home troubleshooting.
Setting
There is a fan button on some air conditioning systems that enable the user to choose their fan speed. If it is set on a “low” setting, the fan will turn slowly and won’t provide much in terms of air circulation. This isn’t ideal if the room you are attempting to cool is too hot to be comfortable. When you adjust the settings with the fan speed button, there are likely three options, which are as follows: low; medium; and high. The higher the setting you select, the better the air will circulate in the room.
Debris
Sometimes, debris can get sucked up into your intake grill, possibly with the help of a child to find its way. Plastic bags and strings are common culprits. These items tend to get entangled in the fan, restricting its movement and causing the speed to be reduced, therefore less effective when it comes to air circulation. To get to the fan’s compartment, you should remove the panels (located on the side or front of the unit) and any debris you find. It is also wise to investigate the inside of the fan housing, if there are any signs that the fan could be striking its housing, the fan needs to be reinstalled properly.
Bearings
Your fan may become restricted if the bearings of the evaporator fan remain grimy or dirty. When you open your evaporator fan compartment, a good way to check in is to turn it by hand. If the fan does not turn freely, you should oil the ball bearings with electric motor oil. However, if the fan does turn easily, the bearings are not the problem. Call a technician for potential repairs, as your fan capacitor may be damaged.
Ice
When ice builds up inside your unit, it will block air from flowing freely through your vents. This can be caused by a few things: a disconnected or broken thermostat, a slow turning fan, or possibly outside conditions like weather. If the outside temperature is lower than your thermostat setting and the unit is set to cool, it is possible that your unit could freeze. If the thermostat is not connected to the compressor, then it will continue to function when the fan is not, in which case freezing is likely.
Summing It Up
If your HVAC or air conditioning fan is moving S L O W L Y, it spells trouble and it means it’s time to give the pro’s a call at Day & Night Plumbing in Albuquerque a call at 505-974-5797
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