Did you know that a little less than half of all Americans in the Northeast of the U.S. have central air conditioning? Considering that this summer is supposed to be hot and sticky, residential AC units will be critical to keeping families nice and cool.
But one of the problems with these units is that they can swallow a large part of your energy bill, with the average system costing about $280 in energy annually. In addition, more than half of a home’s monthly energy bill goes to heating and cooling.
One of the other major issues with AC units is that they need constant cleaning to keep down energy costs. If you don’t change your air filter every few months, or have your AC motor and entire unit checked every year, you could be looking at pricey residential AC repair or even complete home AC replacement.
You can easily switch out the air filter on your own, but if you need AC fan motor replacement, you will need the help of professionals. They will be able to assess which motor will work best for your unit, and replace it properly.
Here a few of the things they consider when purchasing a new motor.
Capacitor
In most cases, you will be able to check and see if the capacitor on your unit has malfunctioned, which will cause a complete shutdown. A capacitor provides the source of electricity for your AC unit — it is essentially the fuse. When this is blown, it has to be replaced when you install a new condenser fan. Modern versions of AC units, which are incidentally more energy efficient, require a new capacitor.
Speed
Many motors come with a number of different speeds. The speed of the AC fan motor replacement will determine the quality of airflow in your home. AC unit installation will also vary based on the new motor’s operation modes. The speeds should change automatically in order to keep the unit cooling at maximum capacity.
Horsepower
In a smaller AC motor, technicians usually don’t have to worry too much about horsepower, but with a larger unit, it could be crucial to gathering enough strength to power the system. Full load amps, or maximum current, are also taken into consideration, as well as the physical stack height of the unit, which affects the airflow rate.
Once AC fan motor replacement is complete, your cool air will be able to flow freely and keep your house as comfortable as possible. So, as soon as you notice any problems with your unit, call an air conditioning repair company immediately — it will likely save you money in the long run.
