Ask the HVAC Technician: Why isn’t my air conditioner blowing air through the vents? You are washing your dishes in the kitchen when you start to feel warm. You think well, it must just be because of the work you are doing so you dismiss the discomfort. When the dishes are done, you plop down on the couch and turn on the TV. You flip around a couple of channels, but you still feel warm. You realize how quiet it has been. Then it hits you. You haven’t heard the familiar whoosh of air coming out of your air vents even though the outside HVAC unit sounds like it is running. You place your hand over the vent. There is only a little bit of cool air falling out of the vent, but there is not a big rush of cold air like there should be. Something is not right.
Why isn’t my air conditioner blowing air through the vents?
There are a couple of possibilities:
- There is a dirty filter. Open up the inside unit and take a look at the filter. Is it dirty? You should be able to see through the filter. If it needs replacing, do it. Air cannot get through a clogged up filter, therefore, restricting air flow.
- The air return is blocked. The air conditioning HVAC system depends on air being able to flow completely through the system. Check the air returns. If they are blocked, air won’t be able to circulate throughout the home properly.
- The blower motor needs replacing. This sounds like a bigger deal than it really is. The inside unit pushes air from the outside unit to your vents with a small motor that powers the fan inside the unit. This fan motor could be burned out/seized or you may just need to replace a capacitor.
- The evaporator coil, condenser coil, and/or lineset could be frozen. Cool air is created in the outside HVAC unit when air comes in contact with a cooling coil creating cold air. If the cooling coil isn’t working properly, it could be frozen over which would cause the system to malfunction. The air conditioning system will not work properly if it is frozen and can’t be properly diagnosed until the unit has completely defrosted. To assist in the defrosting of unit homeowners can set the thermostat to fan only. Typically this is a sign system may be low on refrigerant.
- The capacitor could be bad/weak. Each motor in the HVAC system has a capacitor to give it a jolt of electricity to cause it to start up. If the outside fan stops working or the inside unit is not blowing air properly, the capacitors could need replacing.
Will it cost a lot to repair?
If your air conditioner is not blowing cold air and the cause is one of those listed above, the repair will be relatively inexpensive. Each of these issues is common and the repair team from Cranbury Comfort has lots of experience with these kinds of HVAC issues. HVAC systems are mechanical. Mechanical things wear out over time. Get the repairs you need by contacting Cranbury Comfort.
