It’s a hot Colorado Springs afternoon. Your air conditioner is running, you can hear it working… but when you put your hand over the vent, you’re barely feeling a breeze.
Sound familiar?
Weak airflow from your AC doesn’t always mean your air conditioner is failing. Sometimes, a few surprisingly simple things are keeping that nice, cool air from moving through your home the way it should.
Before you keep lowering the thermostat, try these tips to help your AC breathe a little easier.
1. Start With the Air Filter
This is the easy one — and one of the most important.
Your HVAC filter collects dust, pet hair, pollen and other airborne particles before they circulate through your system. As that filter gets dirty, it becomes harder for air to pass through.
Less air getting into the system can mean less cool air coming out of your vents.
Check your filter regularly and replace it when it looks dirty. How often you need a new one depends on your home, filter type, pets and how frequently your HVAC system runs.
Quick tip: If you can’t remember the last time you changed your filter, it’s probably worth checking!
2. Open Those Vents!
It seems logical: close the vents in rooms you aren’t using and send more cool air to the rooms you are using.
Unfortunately, central HVAC systems generally aren’t designed to work that way.
Closing too many supply vents can interfere with the airflow and pressure the system was designed to maintain. Instead, keep your vents open and make sure they aren’t accidentally blocked.
Look for:
- Furniture sitting over floor vents
- Rugs covering registers
- Curtains hanging in front of vents
- Dust and pet hair collecting on vent covers
- Boxes or other items blocking return-air grilles
Sometimes moving a couch a few inches can make a noticeable difference!
3. Don’t Forget About Your Return Vents
Your AC doesn’t just push air into your rooms. It also needs to pull air back into the HVAC system.
That’s where your return vents come in.
If a return-air grille is blocked by furniture, boxes or other objects, your system may have a harder time circulating air effectively.
Give your return vents some breathing room.
A good rule for homeowners is simple: if it’s an HVAC vent or grille, don’t cover it.
4. Give Your Outdoor AC Unit Some Space
Your outdoor condenser needs airflow too.
Take a walk outside and look at the area surrounding your AC unit. Grass clippings, leaves, weeds, dirt and other debris can accumulate around it.
Keep vegetation and debris away from the unit so it has room to operate properly.
Just be careful about DIY cleaning. Clearing loose debris around the unit is one thing; taking equipment apart or aggressively spraying components is another. If the condenser needs a thorough cleaning, that’s a good job for an HVAC technician.
5. Keep Interior Doors Open When Possible
Ever notice that one bedroom gets warmer when the door stays closed all day?
Depending on how your home’s HVAC system and return-air pathways are designed, closing interior doors can affect how easily air moves through the house.
If you’re struggling with an especially warm room, try leaving the door open and see whether circulation improves.
If one room is always significantly hotter or colder than the others, though, there may be a larger airflow or ductwork issue worth investigating.
6. Check More Than One Vent
If you notice weak airflow, do a quick test around the house.
Is the airflow weak from every vent, or only one or two?
That distinction can tell you a lot.
If one room has poor airflow while the rest of the house feels fine, the issue could involve a particular duct, damper or register.
If airflow seems weak throughout the entire house, the problem may be related to the filter, blower, evaporator coil, duct system or another HVAC component.
That’s when it’s time to have a professional take a look.
7. Don’t Try to Fix Weak Airflow by Cranking Down the Thermostat
If your home is 78°F and uncomfortable, setting the thermostat to 62°F isn’t going to make the air blast out of the vents any faster.
Your thermostat tells the system what temperature you’re trying to reach. It doesn’t work like the gas pedal in your car.
If your AC is running but airflow is unusually weak, turning the thermostat lower may simply cause the system to run longer without addressing the actual problem.
8. Schedule Regular AC Maintenance
One of the best ways to keep your air conditioner moving cool air efficiently is also one of the simplest: take care of it before something goes wrong.
During professional AC maintenance, a technician can inspect components that homeowners don’t typically see, identify airflow restrictions, check the condition of the system and catch smaller problems before they turn into a hot-house-on-a-90-degree-day kind of problem.
And nobody wants that.
Still Not Getting Enough Air From Your AC?
If you’ve changed the filter, checked the vents and cleared the area around your outdoor unit but your AC still isn’t blowing like it should, there may be a bigger issue.
Possible causes of weak AC airflow can include:
- Dirty evaporator coils
- Blower motor problems
- Leaky or damaged ductwork
- Duct restrictions
- Frozen coils
- Improper system sizing
- HVAC equipment problems
These aren’t problems you want to diagnose by trial and error.
Let Allright Get the Air Moving Again
At Allright Plumbing & Heating, we’ve been helping Colorado Springs-area families stay comfortable for more than 35 years.
Our experienced HVAC technicians can diagnose weak airflow, uneven cooling and other AC problems and recommend the right solution — not a commission.
Whether your air conditioner needs a little maintenance or a more involved repair, we’re here to help keep your home cool and comfortable.
Having AC trouble in Colorado Springs, Monument, Black Forest or El Paso County? Contact Allright Plumbing & Heating to schedule AC service.
Frequently Asked Questions About AC Airflow
Why is barely any air coming out of my AC vents?
Weak airflow can have several causes, including a dirty air filter, blocked vents, restricted return airflow, ductwork problems, a dirty coil or an issue with the HVAC blower. If changing the filter and checking your vents doesn’t help, schedule an HVAC inspection.
Should I close vents in rooms I don’t use?
Generally, it’s best to leave HVAC supply vents open unless your system was specifically designed to operate differently. Closing multiple vents can affect the airflow and pressure within a central HVAC system.
Can a dirty air filter reduce AC airflow?
Yes. As an HVAC filter becomes clogged with dust and debris, it can restrict the amount of air moving through the system. Checking your filter is one of the first things to do when you notice weak airflow.
Why is one room getting less AC airflow than the others?
If airflow is good throughout most of your house but weak in one room, the problem may involve that room’s vent, ductwork, damper or overall duct design. An HVAC technician can help determine why the room isn’t receiving enough conditioned air.
How do I know if weak AC airflow needs professional repair?
If you’ve replaced a dirty filter, opened and cleared the vents, checked the return grilles and made sure the outdoor unit isn’t surrounded by debris — but airflow is still weak — it’s a good idea to have the system professionally inspected. Strange noises, ice, water leaks, unusually long cooling cycles or rooms that won’t cool are additional reasons to call for service.