3 Reasons For A Central AC To Stop Circulating Air Properly
Posted on: 8 March 2016
The key function of a central air conditioning unit is for cold air to circulate through the vents in your home until the desired indoor temperature is reached. Problems with the unit can lead to air circulation problems, which can leave you feeling overly hot or overly cold depending on what goes wrong with your system.
What are some of the common causes of a central air conditioner suddenly failing to circulate the air properly?
Thermostat or Compressor Issues
The first place to check for a problem is at the start of the cooling cycle. Make sure your thermostat is set to the proper settings for the air conditioner to kick on. Change out the batteries if you haven't in a while even if the display is showing up. Dying batteries can make a thermostat finicky and that can in turn make your unit not kick on and off the proper way.
You should also check to make sure no fuses or circuit breakers have blown for the air conditioning unit itself. The fuses are often located in a box right next to the outdoor portion of the unit.
If the thermostat looks okay, go outside to the condensing unit and make sure the unit is kicking on after the thermostat is set. You should hear things running in there including a fan. If nothing is happening at all, you might have a problem with your compressor, which receives an electrical signal from the thermostat and then pushes gas refrigerant into the system to start the condensing part of the cycle.
If you suspect a compressor problem, call in an air conditioning repair technician for help. You don't want to do this job yourself since chemical refrigerant and electricity are potentially involved.
Blower Fan or Motor Issue
Did everything in the condensing unit seem to be working fine? Head back inside to your air handler to check on the blower fan and motor. You should be able to hear the fan running from outside the unit. If you don't hear anything, the motor itself has likely stopped working properly and you need a service tech to perform a replacement. If the fan is turning but making an odd noise, the fan could be broken or coming loose.
You can check on the condition of the fan by shutting off all electricity to the unit, opening the access panel, and looking inside. Perform a visual inspection then gently turn the fan with your hand to check for any obstructions. If the fan is damaged in any way, call an HVAC tech for a service call and leave your unit turned off until after the fix is completed.
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