Common Causes of Low Airflow in Your Home and How to Fix Them

Your air conditioner is only useful if cool air is adequately delivered
to all of your home’s living spaces. Unfortunately, certain issues can prevent your system from delivering air as forcefully
as it should, even if all of the other parts of your system are working
just fine. Today we’re going to help you avoid this problem by talking
about common causes of low airflow in homes and what you can do to fix them!

Common causes of low airflow in your St. Louis area home

• Dirty air filter. Perhaps the most common cause of low airflow in homes is a
  dirty air filter. When your air conditioner is running, its
  air handler blows air through your filter to remove dirt and other particles.
  If your filter is clogged with dirt, there will not be enough open spaces
  for air to flow through the filter. This can greatly reduce the amount
  of air that makes it into your ducts, which results in low airflow.
  Solution: Change your air filter once per month to ensure you always have
  a clean one installed.
• Dense air filter. Air filters come in a variety of different
  MERV ratings. The higher the MERV rating, the more dense the filter will be. Every
  air conditioner is designed to work with filters up to a specific MERV
  rating (check your owner’s manual). If you install a filter with
  a MERV rating that’s higher than your system can handle, your air
  handler will not be strong enough to push air through the filter, resulting
  in low airflow.
  Solution: Install an air filter with a lower MERV rating or install a
  whole-house air cleaner
  that doesn’t block airflow.
• Fan issues. Sometimes low airflow can be the result of issues with your system’s
  fan itself. For example, the fan might have electrical problems or its
  blades might have somehow bent. In addition, when dirt builds up on your
  fan’s blades, it will slow the blades down.
  Solution: Contact Jerry Kelly to have your fan inspected and repaired or cleaned.
• Closed or blocked air registers. If any of your home’s air vents are closed or blocked, cool air
  will not reach your rooms effectively. This often happens when people
  place furniture like tables, chairs, or beds right on top of an air vent.
  In addition, people sometimes close air vents in unused rooms (which is a bad idea).
  Solution: Make sure all of your home’s air vents are completely open
  and clear of any obstructions.

If you have any questions about low airflow, or if you’d like a cooling
system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly, your
St. Louis air conditioning contractor. We service the St. Louis area, including towns like Clayton, Cottleville, and Creve Coeur, MO.