The Purpose Of The Fan In Your AC And The Repairs It Could Need
If you've ever wondered why your air conditioner condenser outdoors has a fan in it, you may not realize how important the fan is to the proper operation of your AC equipment. A fan breakdown or malfunction is a serious problem that needs quick attention from your AC servicer, or your air conditioner is at risk of overheating. Here's what the fan does and the type of repairs it might need.
The Importance of the Air Conditioner Fan
If you look in the condenser, you'll see the big fan blades on top of the compressor and refrigerant coil. The purpose of the fan is to blow heat out of the condenser. To be successful, there has to be unobstructed airflow, and the fan has to be operating properly. If the fan malfunctions, heat collects in the condenser and that causes the parts to get too hot. When this happens, parts can burn out and break down.
How an AC Service Can Fix a Bad Fan
An air conditioning fan can malfunction for a number of reasons, so the repair technician has to troubleshoot the issue. The cause might be a bad capacitor that helps the fan motor power up. If so, the technician can put a new capacitor in. The problem might be with a thermostat wire or the contactor instead. The technician can test these and other parts with a multimeter to see if they're bad. These parts have to be functional to get the fan motor started.
If the fan motor itself is bad, then the motor may have to be replaced. That entails removing the fan from the condenser so the internal parts can be reached. Before removing the fan blades, the technician might check to make sure the blades are balanced and that there are no other issues with the blades that caused the motor to burn out. If the motor is burned out, the technician wants to figure out why so the new motor doesn't burn out right away.
The technician may also check for airflow problems in the condenser that might trap heat and cause the motor to get too hot. Problems could include thick weeds growing against the side of the AC or dust and grass clippings clogging the condenser coil fins.
Once the AC service has cleaned the air conditioner to improve airflow and replaced the bad part that made the fan slow down or stop, your air conditioner should be back to work cooling your house down. If you ever notice your fan not spinning, wobbling, or making odd noises, let an AC service know so they can make repairs before your air conditioner overheats.
