3 Fan Issues That Can Leave Your Small Business' Central Air Conditioner Less Functional

Has your small business' central air conditioner recently lost efficiency or has the airflow coming out of your vents seemed to lessen over time without any changes to the thermostat? Stand near your outdoor condensing unit while the system kicks on and listen for the sound of the fan. If the fan doesn't kick on at all or sounds as if it isn't operating correctly, you have identified the likely cause of your cooling issues.

There are three fan issues that can leave your small business' central air conditioner less functional. You can perform some checks yourself, but you should leave the parts replacements up to a professional air conditioning service.

Broken Fan Motor

Does the fan fail to turn on at all when the system starts up and seems to otherwise work properly? The likely cause is a broken fan motor, which will require a total replacement of the part in order to have a functional fan.

There's a simple, basic way to narrow down the problem to the fan motor. Turn off all electricity to the condensing unit, unscrew the grated cover on top of the unit, and then lift that cover up while flipping it over so that the fan blades on top of the fan assembly are facing up. The motor is located right under the blades.

Use your hand to twist the blades slowly. If the blades turn properly without any strain, the problem is likely the motor. Leave your air conditioner off and call in a service tech for a service call and part replacement.

Bent or Broken Fan Blades

Do your unit's fan blades seem to spin during operation but don't sound full speed or as if the blades are spinning properly? Gain access to the fan assembly as described above and visually inspect the blades for any signs of bent or broken fan blades.

You can straighten out a slight bend with a few gentle taps with a hammer. Don't try to fix severe bends or broken fan blades or you could end up with flying metal shrapnel, which isn't good for either you or the air conditioner.

Ask an HVAC service tech to replace any bent or broken fan blades to get your fan operating properly.

Loose Fan Blades

Does your running fan sound like it's banging, creaking, or clanking around inside the condensing unit? You could have loose fan blades. Gain access to the fan assembly as described above and use your hand to try and twist the fan blades around in a circle. If the blades wobble a lot on top of the motor, you need to tighten the blades.

Use an adjustable wrench to tighten the nut connecting the blades to the motor. If the nut seems damaged, replace the nut and make sure the new one is tight before putting the unit back together and conducting a test run to make sure the problem is fixed. For assistance, contact a company like Blume Mechanical Service.


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