There’s a number of reasons for why you could be getting low air-flow from your air conditioner. Admittedly, not all of them will require you to drop what you’re doing and immediately call an AC repairman. At the same time, some of them actually do require immediate attention, and ignoring them is the last thing you’d want to do.
In this post, we’ll go over causes of low air-flow from the best to worst case scenarios. If it sounds like any of them are happening in your AC, be sure to take the appropriate action.
Dirty Air Filter
A best-case scenario.
Dirty air filters will block the flow of air from coming into the system, and this can lead to a multitude of problems. One of them, of course, being low air flow. Luckily, a dirty air filter can easily be replaced by any homeowner.
On average, you should replace the air filter every 3 months, even sooner if your home has pets. It’s possible that your air filter is clogging up more quickly due to factors like pets or living in an area prone to getting dust, so it’s a good idea to check up on it and keep track of how often it’s getting clogged.
Air Duct Leaks
Not the worst, but not good.
Leaks or disconnects in your air duct will compromise the tight seal necessary for bringing cooled air to all the rooms in your home. Leaky ducts don’t constitute a true AC emergency, but if you’re only just now noticing that you have them, it most likely means you’ve had them for a while.
It’s estimated that about 30% of energy is lost through leaks and holes in the air ducts. That’s a lot of extra energy (and money!) disappearing into your attic. The immediate effects of a leak will be apparent in the rooms that refuse to cool down. The long-term effects will make themselves apparent when you look at your next energy bill.
You’ll want nothing short of a thorough inspection from a professional. Call for AC repair in Miami from a trusted repairman to make sure that every leak is sealed properly.
Frozen Coils
A worst-case scenario
In some cases, your entire evaporator coil can freeze over into a giant block of ice. This will restrict air flow and prevent air from entering your home. To be fair, this is potentially the worst cause of low air-flow. That’s because some of the causes of frozen coils could be as simple as that dirty air filter—if you’re lucky.
In the worst case, it could also be due to a true AC emergency, like a refrigerant leak. If this is the case—and you might not always be able to tell without the help of a professional—you should turn the AC off immediately and wait for a repairman. Refrigerant is a necessary ingredient in the cooling process, so a leak will only create a problem that gets inevitably worse over time, leading to bigger leaks and eventual compressor failure.
We’re the experts on air conditioning, including low air-flow problems. Contact Air On Demand today!