Window air conditioners are heavy, so get some help removing it from the window. Repairing the fan in a window air conditioner can be as simple as giving its bearings a generous shot of a penetrating oil-lubricant, or it may require replacing the motor assembly. The fan motors used in window air conditioners are inexpensive and designed with welded cases and therefore cheaper to replace than to repair. Remove From Window Unplug the unit from the wall outlet and remove the screws holding the side accordion panels and the window unit in place. Air conditioners are heavy, so have a helper hold the unit securely while you remove the mounting screws. This ensures that the unit does not fall out the window. With your helper, slide the unit from the window and set it on the floor where you can work on it comfortably. Remove the screws holding the case in place and slide it off the unit. Be careful when handling the case because the razor-sharp edges of the sheet metal can cut you. Clean and Check Fan Movement Before you begin working on the air conditioner, clean the unit with a shop vacuum.

Your household vacuum will also do the job if it has a wand attachment. Make sure that you vacuum out the inside of the fan motor housing by placing the mouth of the wand against the holes in the ends of the motor's case. Dirt, dust bunnies and pet hair can accumulate inside the motor and keep the motor's rotor from turning freely. Next, check to see if the fan blade turns easily by hand. Check to see if the blades have become bent and are rubbing against the fan's shroud. These motors produce very little torque when starting and almost any dirt in the bearings or the slightest contact with the shroud around the blade will keep them from running properly. Check the Motor's Bearings If the fan blades were bent and the shroud around the blade has not come loose, chances are the motor has bad bearings that will need to be replaced. To check the bearings, grasp the blade in your hand and try moving the shaft from side to side. Any appreciable movement confirms bad bearings, and the motor will need to be replaced.

If the blades were not bent but do not turn freely, give the bearings a generous shot of penetrating oil. air conditioning units that heat and coolIf that frees up the shaft and the blade turns freely, you have probably saved yourself the cost of replacing the motor. inside ac unit costPlug the unit in and see if the fan now runs as it should. cheap ac units nycUnplug the unit again before replacing the case. Replacing Fan Motor Unplug the motor's wiring harness from the control board. Then remove the screws holding the motor in place. Take the old motor with you to the appliance supply store to make sure you get an exact replacement. You can buy universal fan replacement motors based on their fractional horsepower rating and voltage, but you're better off spending a few extra dollars to get an exact replacement motor.

Replace the motor, reassemble the case, reinstall the unit in the window and plug the unit in. Window AC Repair Tips Window AC repair is not a difficult thing, because these units are compact and don’t have lots of complicated parts. There are certain problems that should be addressed by a trained repair technician, but most people can handle basic window AC repair problems themselves. Typical window AC repair problems and solutionsAir circulates through the filters in your window air conditioner, and these filters get dirty from time to time. Dirty filters will cut down on your unit’s efficiency, which will eventually mean higher electric bills for you. If you want your window air conditioning unit to run well, it’s important to change or clean the filter once a month in the hot weather. There are other parts that need regular care and cleaning for the unit to run effectively. While you have the filter out, check the fins (which are located directly behind the filter).

These can become clogged with dust and dirt, and that can impair the air conditioner’s performance to the point where it will freeze up. To clean out the fins, use a medium density brush and an up and down stroke. If you find that the fins are covered in ice, defrost the unit by turning it onto the “fan only” setting. The condenser coils should be cleaned at least once a year. It’s an easy job: simply unplug the air conditioner long enough for the condenser coils to dry, then vacuum the coils thoroughly. You can also clean the coils with a soft toothbrush, to get into the crevices.This is a common problem in older window AC units. A musty smell is usually caused by dust, dirt, and moisture building up and causing mold and mildew to form in the drip tray. To solve this problem, remove the drip tray from underneath the unit, and wash it in warm soapy water. You should do this at least once a year.People sometimes panic if they discover water leaking from their window air conditioner.

Usually the problem is because the unit is tilted in, toward the room, rather than out. If your window air conditioner is installed correctly it will drain out of the back of the unit. The fan isn’t blowing. If there is no air blowing through the unit, it’s probably because the fan motor is not running correctly. While the unit is unplugged, turn the fan blades by hand. If the blades don’t turn easily, lubricate the fan motor. If this does not correct the problem, the fan motor may need to be replaced. Window AC repair is a simple matter if it involves these problems. For anything more complicated, you should call in an AC technician, someone who is trained to handle more serious issues. Air conditioning units nowadays allow you to switch it from "off" to various levels of "cool" without requiring you to "fan" setting first. Is there any reason to use "fan" setting (such as for example, to increase lifespan)? And why is it normally situated between "off" and "cool"?

Is the purpose similar to idling a car, so to speak? This question came from our site for scientific skepticism. Typically the blower motor or fan on a forced air AC or HVAC system only run when the AC is running (this is also referred to as the "auto" mode). Turning the fan to the on position only runs the fan, but not necessarily the AC itself, giving you some air circulation, without the extra power required to run the AC compressor. With a window unit, you also have the option to allow outside air in with the fan, which can cool a warm room if it's cooler outside, without running the AC at all. The fan is also useful for homes where some rooms get especially hot between the AC cycles, so you can constantly run the fan instead of lowering the temperature on the thermostat, but if you do this for extended periods, I'd suspect it actually increases power consumption rather than decreases it. As for whether you would damage an AC by skipping the fan setting, that would be highly unlikely since the fan automatically turns on when the AC is running.

What you can do to damage an AC is rapidly turn it on and back off, since this can result in a pressure differential in the coolant lines that could prevent the compressor from starting normally, burning out the motor, and it could be in a state where the lubricating oils in the coolant are not at the compressor motor where it's needed (this is also why you don't turn a refrigerator on immediately after it's been tilted from shipping). As for why the fan setting is found between off and cool on some thermostats, this is likely for convenience. It's either off, you want fresh air, or you want fresh air and cooling. What you're describing are the modes of a thermostat and not the A/C unit itself. In some A/C's, the thermostat is part of the unit, but with central A/C and a forced air system, typically you have an external thermostat. Some of these are very basic and require you to toggle multiple switches while others are more sophisticated and can automatically toggle between heat/cold, fan modes, etc.