Often you would have felt that your home is taking far longer to cool or heat. The reason is mostly restricted or weak airflow. As the flow of air diminishes, the air circulates far slowly, and so it takes longer to achieve the desired temperature. In short, the efficiency of your AC is compromised. When that happens, more power is needed to maintain the home at a pre-determined temperature. What this means is that now you will spend more money on your electricity bill to heat or cool your home. Regularly we receive the complain that our air conditioner airflow is weak. So we decided to address this issue through a well-informed post which even tells you how to fix the weak airflow in air conditioners.
Airflow
Airflow is nothing but the flow of air or the movement of air in any given area. Air flows due to the existence of pressure gradients. Air id fluid and moves from a high-pressure area to a low-pressure area. When you stand near the AC, you can feel a stronger flow of air which diminishes as you move away from it.
Symptoms Of Weak Air Flow In AC
How can you come to know that the air conditioner airflow is weak? It’s quite simple.
1. No Air Blowing Or Weak Flow Of Air – This happens to the most common way of knowing that the air conditioner airflow is weak. When you stand directly under the vent which blows cool air inside your home, you will notice that there is no flow of air, or the flow is very slow. So slow that you barely feel it.
2. Hot And Cold Spots – You may feel that certain parts of your house are either cooler or warmer than the rest of it. If the airflow is adequate, there should be no hot and cold spots.
3. Imbalance Of Pressure – Whistling noises, drafty areas, and doors slamming suddenly, all point to the fact that there is an air pressure imbalance. Such imbalances occur when the airflow is restricted.
Why Air Conditioner Airflow Is Weak And How To Fix
1. Dirty Air Filters – More than half the airflow problems occur because the homeowner forgot to change or clean the air filters in their AC unit. Think of the air filter as a sieve. If the sieve is dirty and clogs all the perforations, how will anything pass-through it? On the same line, if the air filter is blocked, fully or partially, it will prohibit the free flow of air.
How To Fix – The solution is simple and cheap. Every month change your air filters. You can do this yourself and need not depend on anybody to come and help you out.
2. Blocked Vents And Registers – If the air vents and registers in your home are blocked by potted plants, decoration items or furniture, air pressure imbalance will occur. Such blockages impede the airflow.
How To Fix – Fixing the problem is as simple as ensuring nothing blocks the air vents ad registers. If there is any obstruction, remove it.
3. Blocked Ducts – Air passes through the ducts and enters each room in your home. When the ducts get blocked, they do not allow the air to pass through freely. The duct system in your home attracts dust; with age, it also develops breaks and leaks. Also, many times, birds and rodents make homes inside them. All these things cause weak airflow.
How To Fix – This is a job for the professionals. An HVAC expert needs to come and inspect the entire ductwork of your home for any tears and leaks. If they find any, they need to be sealed as soon as possible. Also, get regular maintenance of the HVAC unit done and pay special attention to the fact that your ductwork is given a thorough cleaning.
4. Slow Fan Speed – If the blower fan that moves air through the ducts itself is working slowly or sluggishly, the air will also travel equally slow. The reason behind slow fan speed could be dust and grime accumulated on the fan or a weak motor.
How To Fix – Cleaning the fan and replacing the fan motor should do the trick. However, it is something where you need the help of a trained technician.
5. Frozen Evaporator Coil – In your air conditioner, there is a component known as the evaporator coil. This coil is responsible for cooling the air. When it gets too cold, the moisture present inside your home freezes over these coils and forms ice. This ice formation acts as an obstruction and restricts the airflow.
How To Fix – Frozen evaporator coils are usually caused by dirty air filters, blocked vents, a faulty motor, and low refrigerant levels. The first two things you can handle yourself and do the needful as instructed in point number 1 & 2. However, to handle a faulty motor problem and gauge whether the refrigerant level is low, you will have to call for help from a professionally trained person. Since they are trained in all the technical aspects of HVAC units, they will address these problems quickly and efficiently.
Why Is It Good To Call Experts To Fix Weak Airflow Problems?
You know that the air conditioner airflow is weak. You also know it’s nothing serious, then why call in the big guns. To be honest, on the surface, weak airflow seems like a small thing, but if not taken care of timely and efficiently, it can overheat your unit and fry it. When faced with this dilemma, it is sensible to call for expert guidance as they will check all things that could cause the problem. On the other hand, you cannot because some things are just beyond your capability because you are not trained for them.
Conclusion
If your HVAC or AC unit is not too old, the chances are that the weak airflow is caused due to a small thing like dirty filters and clogged vents. However, if you have a decade old unit, it may be time when it is past its useful life and slowing down because of age. Whatever be the reason, there is an obvious solution. So whenever you face any issues with your air conditioner contact the elite team of Aztil AC.
