Two of the most crucial parts of your HVAC system are the fans. The fan located outside in the condenser is involved exclusively with the air conditioner, and blows air over coils to release heat from the home's air. The one inside in the blower distributes conditioned air into the home. When these fans break, your HVAC system won't cool or heat your home.
Here are some things to know about HVAC fan problems.
Why the HVAC Fan May Stop Working
No power. Parts of your HVAC system may overheat, resulting in a power surge and a flipped breaker switch. You can reset the breaker a couple of times, but if it keeps flipping, there's a problem and you should find out what's causing the breaker to flip.
Capacitor burns out. A failing capacitor can be detected by a professional HVAC tech, and can be replaced before it causes the system's fans to stop working. Capacitors fail for various reasons.
Fan motor fails. Eventually, all fan motors will wear out, but they will do so faster and more often if you don't schedule preventative maintenance. An HVAC system that is struggling to cool or heat will run hotter, with more static, which can lead to motor failure. There are many reasons a fan motor fails, but usually involve malfunctioning wiring, relays or capacitors.
Contactor failure. The A/C contactor is a switch that controls the fan motor in the compressor/condenser. The contactor will eventually wear out, keeping the outside fan from working. An HVAC tech can examine the contactor during routine maintenance and make a recommendation for replacing the part before it goes bad.
Relay board defective. The relay board sends voltage to certain A/C components, including the fan motor. Than fan may not run if the relay board is defective.
If you hear the compressor running but the fan is not on, turn the air conditioner off immediately and call an HVAC professional for help.
For more on HVAC fan problems, contact Hartman Brothers, serving Northeast Indiana. Schedule maintenance repairs and new equipment installations.