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Are you trying to figure out why your Window Air Conditioner barely blows air anymore?
That’s really inconvenient, but you might find comfort in knowing that thousands of appliance owners are in the same situation daily.
I know how annoying it can be to have your Air Conditioner barely blow air anymore – especially during the hot summer months when you need desperate relief from sweltering temperatures. But don’t worry; you’ve come to the right place for answers. Below, you’ll find a list including 4 common causes of the problem and simple solutions for each.
When your Window Air Conditioner barely blows air anymore, it can be due to your airflow settings, a dirty filter, or dirty coils. The issue can also be caused by fan motor issues, so you’ll want to take a closer look at that component.
Ready to get your Window Air Conditioner back to normal? Let’s go!
Why trust us? This article was written by Craig Anderson and Alan Stephens.
Craig has helped thousands of other homeowners repair their appliances since 2016.
Alan is one of our resident appliance repair experts with over 20 years of experience in both commercial and residential HVAC projects. He has all 3 HVAC license certifications in North Carolina (H-1, H-2, & H-3-1). Since 2004, he runs his own company, Eco Green Air Inc in Raleigh, NC.
Why Your Window Air Conditioner Barely Blows Air Anymore
Window Air Conditioners are complex appliances. Maybe not as complex as ductless variants, but still, you must analyze yours carefully to understand what’s happening under the hood.
Although there are many possible reasons why your Window Air Conditioner barely blows air anymore, I’ve found that there are typically some common culprits you’ll want to check first. Here are the steps I normally follow.
#1 Check Your Airflow Settings
Let’s start off by checking your airflow settings to discover why your Window Air Conditioner barely blows air anymore.
I know that something related to how you use your Window Air Conditioner might seem obvious and hard to miss, but you wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve seen bad settings be the source of the problem.
Often, the issue stems from the Window Air Conditioner being set to a very low speed.
Solution: Check the control settings. Window Air Conditioners usually have multiple speeds. Ensure you’ve selected the right speed by pressing the right button – you should hear and feel a change in the airflow.
Provided your settings are not the problem, let’s move on to the next possible reason why your Window Air Conditioner barely blows air anymore.
#2 Check the Filter
In my experience, dirty filters are another common culprit behind a Window Air Conditioner that barely blows air anymore.
Air Conditioner filters help prevent dust and other debris from entering your appliance’s internal components and causing damage. However, if you fail to clean/replace your Air Conditioner’s filters often, you’ll likely encounter airflow and overheating issues.
Solution: My usual advice is to check and clean/replace your Window Air Conditioner filters at least once every 2 months to ensure they’re in proper working condition. Whenever you spot any signs of damage or excess dirt buildup on your filters, you should clean/replace them.
To determine whether your Window Air Conditioner model has permanent or replaceable filters, please check your User Manual. Provided you don’t have it handy, refer to our free resource below.
Note: I find that a dirty filter can also decrease your appliance’s energy efficiency greatly, so if your electricity bills are suddenly skyrocketing, you have further confirmation that the filters need attention.
#3 Clean the Coils
The next possible reason why your Window Air Conditioner barely blows air anymore is that either the condenser or the evaporator coil is dirty – perhaps even both.
To understand how essential the coils inside your appliance are, here are the basics of what they do:
- The evaporator coil cools and dehumidifies the indoor air by allowing the refrigerant to absorb heat and evaporate.
- The condenser coil releases the absorbed heat to the outdoors, allowing the refrigerant to condense back into its liquid form.
When either one or both coils are dirty, airflow will be greatly affected, delivering poor cooling results, higher-than-normal electricity bills, and a reduced appliance lifespan.
Solution: Inspect and clean the coils. The process to disassemble your Window Air Conditioner will vary depending on the brand and model you own. Please refer to your User Manual for specific instructions on the process.
There are tons of videos online you can watch to get a general idea, but if you feel unsafe or doubtful at any point during the process, my usual advice is to call a certified HVAC technician to handle the job.
#4 Check the Fan Motor
Lastly, let’s consider a faulty fan motor as the reason why your Window Air Conditioner barely blows air anymore.
The fan motor is the lifeblood of your Window Air Conditioner; without it, the appliance can’t blow air and will fail to deliver the results you expect from it. From what I’ve seen, a telltale sign of a faulty Window Air Conditioner’s fan motor is intermittent operation.
When the fan motor is failing, it will turn on and off continuously and will also overheat very often.
Solution: Every HVAC system has an internal overload to prevent burnout. If your Window Air Conditioner’s fan motor overheats due to age or a depleting capacitor, it will shut itself off and restart once it’s cool.
If you suspect your Window Air Conditioner’s fan motor is failing, I recommend checking the capacitors and/or replacing the aging motor.
Depending on how familiar you are with Air Conditioner DIYs, you may be able to handle the repair yourself. However, if you’re unsure about the process, please get in touch with a professional to stay safe.
Window Air Conditioner Good Practices
Now that you know what’s causing your Window Air Conditioner to barely blow air anymore, I hope you’ve been able to address the problem and your appliance is back to normal.
Part of keeping your Air Conditioner running like clockwork is proper maintenance and spotting any arising issues in a timely manner. I’d like to recap some Window Air Conditioner good practices you should implement into your daily routine.
- Clean the appliance Often: Ensuring that your Window Air Conditioner’s filters and coils are unobstructed and free of dust and debris buildup can go a long way in preventing further issues.
- Watch Out for an Overheating Fan Motor: While the fan motor has an overload shutoff feature, running your appliance with a struggling motor is a surefire way of causing permanent damage to it. Please address any fan motor issues as soon as you suspect they’re present.
- Check Your Settings: Proper settings are key to ensuring maximum energy efficiency, effective cooling, and a long appliance lifespan. Remember to never set your Window Air Conditioner over or under 20 degrees Fahrenheit relative to the ambient temperature.
Restoring Airflow to Your Window Air Conditioner
That about covers it!
When your Window Air Conditioner barely blows air anymore, it’s natural that you start to worry about the cost of repairs or even the cost of having to replace the appliance altogether.
Luckily, as I hope this piece has helped you better understand, addressing the most common causes behind a Window Air Conditioner that barely blows air anymore can be very easy and quick. More often than not, simple things, like ensuring the filters and coils are clean and looking closely for signs of a faulty fan motor, will do the trick.
Thanks for reading. If this article was useful and answered your most burning questions, please check out our other resources and free guides below and consider subscribing to our newsletter.
Have a great week!
-Craig.
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