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AC Fan Not Working? Here’s The Likely Culprit

There is nothing worse than when your air conditioner unit stops working, especially during the hottest months of the summer. This can turn into a more significant issue when you live in a place where the weather is hot and humid throughout the whole year. The first step, in this case, should be checking what’s wrong with your unit. There are several reasons why this might be happening, but a common one is that your AC fan is not working anymore.

The good news is that you don’t need a professional to check out if your AC fan is not spinning. You only need to walk out of your house, and if you see that your AC unit fan is not spinning, you found the problem. This issue can originate from a capacitor malfunction, bad installation, a compressor breakdown, or a damaged condenser. But, before taking an in-depth look into each of these possibilities. You need to understand what each part of your AC unit does.

AC fan not working: Understanding your AC unit

There are different AC units you can purchase for your home, the most common ones have two fans. The one placed in your house’s exterior removes the heat from the air while the other located on the inside helps cold air flow through your home. This means that if your air conditioner outside the unit fan is not working, the air inside your house won’t be cool anymore.

For the fan to move, it needs two other items, the motor and the capacitor. The first engine is responsible for the motion while the start capacitor takes care of giving the motor a push of energy, which consequently moves the fan. An easier way to understand the capacitor is by thinking of it as a battery. 

Now when your AC fan is not spinning outside, maybe your capacitor is not charging correctly. High temperatures and high voltages can be the reasons why your capacitor is not working anymore.

First, verify your warranty expiration date because if you are still covered, the company will repair it. Otherwise, it will be better to call a professional who can fix it.  Find the top experts on HVAC systems to solve your problem, and the best part is most of them can also take care of the maintenance of other primary devices in your house, such as water softeners.

Why is my central air unit fan not spinning?

As mentioned before, there could be various reasons why your central AC fan is not spinning. You don’t need to worry because, in this section, we will explain each possible cause and how you can solve it.

Improper installation

When your AC unit is not installed correctly, then your fan will not work. The reason why you must ensure the company you hire knows how to install your AC unit properly is because this can affect the wiring. This means your unit’s parts won’t be getting the power they need to do their job, which can be why your AC fan unit is not spinning outside.

You can check the circuit and make sure it is working. If you feel lost in the process, the best solution is to call the company and ask for an expert to come and fix the problem. Yes, if you don’t have a warranty, it might cost you, but if you try to repair it yourself, you can end up damaging your AC unit. For you to avoid all these problems, trust only American Home Water and Air for AC Installation In Phoenix, Arizona.

Capacitor malfunction

As we mentioned above, the capacitor is the element inside your AC unit, which will give a push start to your motor, producing the fan’s motion. If your capacitor is damaged, then your central air fan unit is not spinning.

At first, you might notice your fan is spinning slower and then it will stop. That will let you know your capacitor is not functioning as it should.

Take into account high temperatures can affect your capacitor. Then, the solution can just be as simple as turning off the condenser and letting it cool off for a while. If you turn it on again and the AC fan is still not working, you can try some other things. You can read this guide to learn more about AC capacitors.

Try this before calling an expert

If your air conditioner outside the unit fan is not working due to the capacitor, you can try these solutions before calling for help. Disclaimer: We advise not to handle the capacitor yourself unless you are familiar with high voltage devices.

  • Try to give the fan a push. In some cases, your fan needs a little help to keep working. You shouldn’t perform this task with your hands because even when at the moment, your central AC fan is not spinning. If it suddenly starts, you can get hurt. It is better to try it with a large stick.

Your fan could also have some debris trapped on its axle. If you believe this is the problem, you can remove it carefully. Also, check the filter is clean. As always, keep yourself safe and do it carefully not to harm any elements inside your AC fan.

If you try the options above and your AC unit fan is not spinning, it is time to call for an expert in AC Repair In Phoenix, AZ. In case these solutions work, you need to know it won’t last. You should contact a company or a professional to come and inspect your AC fan. They will know how to leave your HVAC device as good as new.

Compressor breakdown

Sometimes when your AC fan is not working, you might still hear a humming sound outside your house showing your compressor contactor is functioning. However, if you walk out of your home and see the fan is not moving, plus there is no sound, the problem is your compressor.

Verify whether the breaker unit tripped. If that is the issue, try turning off the thermostat and resetting the breaker. After, turn the thermostat back on. That should do the trick. But if unfortunately, your air conditioner outside unit fan is not working, you should get in touch with a professional and ask for help.

Condenser Unit

If your condenser unit is not functioning as it should, then as a consequence, your central air unit fan is not spinning. When this happens, the airflow inside your house will get stuck, and it will be genuinely uncomfortable if you are living in a place with hot weather. 

The only solution is calling the company where you bought it from and asking if someone can come and repair it. To prevent all of the costs from a damaged condenser, you should keep a regular schedule for the maintenance of your unit.

Conclusion

Even when some people might take their AC unit for granted when the AC fan is not spinning outside, it will affect your life quality. It is essential to learn how your AC unit works or at least have an overall idea because in case your AC unit fan is not spinning, you can perform the solutions we suggested, which will give you more time until the expert arrives. If your central AC fan is not spinning, don’t panic. Go through our list again and find the problem.

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