When Your Air Conditioner Won't Work

When Your Air Conditioner Won't Work

Tips For Cleaning Your HVAC System's Fan

by Clara Fernandez

If your home uses central heating, you'll likely have a furnace that helps generate and circulate air throughout your home. Over the years, you may notice that the HVAC system is becoming more expensive to run. One reason this could be happening is due to a dirty fan in the air handler. Thankfully, it's a part that is easy to clean on your own. Here are some tips for cleaning the HVAC system's fan.

Access The Air Handler

Finding your HVAC system fans should be easy to do. There will be an access panel located in the air handler, which typically has a vent on it. You can actually peak through the vents and even verify that the fan is inside prior to taking the panel offer. You can remove the panel by taking off the screws that hold it in place.

Shut Down The Power

Before you move forward with cleaning the fan, you'll want to ensure that the power to the furnace has been turned off. You can adjust the settings on the thermostat so that you know for sure the furnace won't turn on unexpectedly when accessing the inside of the air handler. If there are switches on the furnace itself, turn those off to for added security

Remove The Blades And Clean

If it has been many years since you've had your furnace cleaned, it is likely that they are covered in dirt on the fan blades and central rod that holds it in place. The fan's central rod will have lubrication on it, which can even make this part difficult to clean with it being a magnet to dust in the system.

Start by unscrewing the bolt located at the end of the main rod, which should release the fan blades from it. Make notes of any washers that are holding it in place, and what order they must be reinstalled. With the blades removed, know that you can take these out and clean them in a sink. You want to wipe down the entire surface with a rag that is damp and rinse off the remaining dirt. There is no need to use cleaning chemicals when cleaning the fan blades.

Put the fan assembly back together, power the furnace back on, and run it to make sure that everything is fixed. It may not seem like having clean fan blades will make much of a difference, but they can help contribute to a furnace that is more energy efficient. For more help, contact a company like Polar Aire Heating & Cooling Inc.


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About Me

When Your Air Conditioner Won't Work

My name is Maura, and I am certified in HVAC installation and repair. I have many clients who call me in a panic because they have turned on their air conditioners and nothing has happened. Your air conditioning technician will get to you as soon as possible, but there are some steps you can take while you are waiting. You might just find that you are able to fix the problem on your own, although you will still want to have a professional assess the situation. In this blog I will take you through some common reasons your air conditioner might not be working and show you some easy temporary solutions.

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