How to Clean Air Conditioner Blower Wheel Without Removing (2024)

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How to Clean Air Conditioner Blower Wheel Without Removing (1)

Blower wheels were made to push air in and out of the air conditioner, which prevents warm air from overheating the system, and cool air from staying stagnant within the unit. When improperly maintained, the blower wheel may break down or malfunction, resulting in a less-than-adequate cooling process.

Your air conditioner may end up overheating or freezing, which leads to more AC unit problems. Cleaning your blower wheel is a must, especially if you use your air conditioner frequently. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of cleaning your AC blower wheel without removing it from the blower assembly.

Effects of an Unmaintained Blower Wheel

  • Overheating AC unit;
  • Freezing air conditioning system;
  • Inadequate air circulation;
  • Restricted air flow;
  • Dusty heat exchanger;
  • Dusty fan blades;
  • Air conditioner is not blowing cool air.

How to Clean AC Blower Wheel Without Removing

Step 1: Open the Air Conditioner Housing

First, shut the power off from the air conditioner. This will prevent any accidental electrocution, and will prevent your fingers from getting stuck in the blower wheel in case the air conditioner is powered on. Open the outdoor unit of the air conditioner where the blower wheel is located, and remove the blower housing.

Step 2: Locate the Blower Motor and Blower Wheel

Locate the blower wheel, and remove any obstructing components. The blower motor, fan blades, and blower wheel are typically bolted down to prevent them from flying everywhere during air conditioner operations. You do not need to unbolt the blower motor components with this cleaning method.

Step 3: Use Compressed Air

Use a can of compressed air, and aim the thin straw-like nozzle in the nooks and crannies of the dirty blower wheel. Spray the wheel with compressed air to loosen the grime that accumulated around it. Avoid spraying the dust towards the air ducts to prevent the dust from entering your home.

Step 4: Vacuum Up the Debris

Take your vacuum cleaner, and vacuum up the dirt and dust coming out of the dirty blower wheel. Use a shop vac for this cleaning method as household vacuum cleaners do not typically have a strong enough suction power to remove grime from the blower motor. Use the brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner to scrub out any remaining grime.

If your vacuum cleaner does not have a brush attachment, use a small, curved brush to clean out the hard-to-reach areas of your blower wheel, as well as the blower motor, and the fan blades.

Step 5: Use a Cleaning Solution

This step is optional, but recommended. There are some no-rinse cleaning solutions that you can safely spray around your blower wheel to wash away dust and debris. Use this on your blower wheel to remove deep-seated dirt, stubborn debris, and more without having to remove the wheel.

You can use a soft cloth to wipe the cleaning solution on the exterior of the wheel, blower motor, and fan blades as well to completely remove the dust and grime from these components. Do not oversaturate the cloth with a cleaning solution, and use a curved handle to reach nooks and crannies.

Step 6: Let Everything Dry, and Assemble

Let everything dry, and assemble the outdoor unit back together. Restore the power back onto your air conditioning system, and power it on to test your cleaned AC blower. You should notice that the AC unit has increased efficiency in maintaining a proper air flow around the room.

How to Keep Your Blower Wheel Maintained

The blower wheel is one of the components in an air conditioner that can easily break down, costing you replacement parts. Maintaining your blower wheel will help prolong the useful life of the blower assembly, as well as the entire air conditioning unit.

Keep your AC blower fan in good condition with our air conditioner cleaning and maintenance services at Luce Aircon. Our technicians are well-experienced in the upkeep of HVAC systems, and can repair or replace faulty blower fans too!

Give us a call to know more about how you can keep your air conditioner maintained!

How to Clean Air Conditioner Blower Wheel Without Removing (2024)

FAQs

How to Clean Air Conditioner Blower Wheel Without Removing? ›

Give it a clean: Use a vacuum cleaner to gently remove dirt and dust from the blower fan and blower wheel. Be mindful not to damage the delicate fan blades. Put it all back together: Once you're done, carefully reassemble your air conditioning system.

How do you clean the blower fan on an air conditioner? ›

Give it a clean: Use a vacuum cleaner to gently remove dirt and dust from the blower fan and blower wheel. Be mindful not to damage the delicate fan blades. Put it all back together: Once you're done, carefully reassemble your air conditioning system.

How to clean an AC without taking it apart? ›

Six Easy Steps to cleaning the Window AC Unit without Removing it
  1. Unplug the air conditioning unit from the electrical outlet. ...
  2. Remove the Filter. ...
  3. Remove and Clean the Unit Case. ...
  4. Use a Vacuum Cleaner to Suck Out all the Dust and Debris. ...
  5. Clean the Condenser Coils. ...
  6. Reassemble the Air Conditioner Unit.
Apr 13, 2022

How often should a blower wheel be cleaned? ›

Most blower wheels need to be pulled and cleaned every 3-5 years, depending on usage and the home. A dirty blower wheel can negatively affect the airflow in your HVAC unit, causing your heat exchanger to overheat and AC coils to freeze. It will also reduce the efficiency of your blower motor and your entire system.

What happens if the blower wheel is dirty? ›

A dirty blower dirty wheel can lead to weak airflow. Airflow is heavily influenced by the speed at which the blower wheel spins. The faster it spins, the stronger the airflow will be. A fast-spinning blower wheel will push conditioned air into the ductwork more quickly than a slow-spinning blower wheel.

How do you get mold out of an AC blower? ›

Mix one cup of water, one tablespoon of laundry detergent and half a tablespoon of baking soda and then submerge the vents in the solution for at least 10 minutes. Vacuum the inside of the vents. Dip a rag into the solution, and wipe down the inside of the vents, scrubbing when necessary to remove any mold.

How much does it cost to clean the blower wheel on an air conditioner? ›

AC blower wheel cleaning costs $125 to $250 on average. The blower wheel is located inside the air handler or furnace and moves air through the HVAC system. Dirt and grease buildup slows down the wheel's rotation, making it work harder and reducing airflow.

Can we use WD 40 to clean AC? ›

Spray. Next, spray a generous amount of WD-40 in the cooling fins of the A/C, going from left to right. Let the solution sit for 15-20 minutes. This cleaning agent will expertly go deep into the cooling fins, while any other cleaning solution would only clean them up from the outside.

Is it okay to spray water on your window air conditioner? ›

You can absolutely spray water on your air conditioner to clean it. You can use your reliable old garden hose, and you don't even have to be gentle with it. Simply set it to a hard stream and run it over the unit from top to bottom for a thorough cleaning.

What can I use to clean my blower wheel? ›

How to Clean a Blower Wheel: 3 Ways
  • Solvent – A common way is to clean the wheel by hand with a cloth and cleaning solvent. ...
  • Air – Compressed air is a great option for lightly soiled wheels.
  • Water – If your fan is properly coated or made from non-rusting materials, you can spray off debris with water…
Jan 31, 2023

What is the lifespan of a blower? ›

More specifically, systems that include blower motors have a lifespan of roughly: Air-Source Heat Pumps: 10 to 12 years, with a maximum of 15 years or more. Furnaces: 10 to 20 years, depending on maintenance schedules. DX Air Conditioners: 15 to 20 years, depending on maintenance schedules and manufacturer quality.

How do you clean wheel dust? ›

Drizzle some Dawn dish soap or dedicated car soap into a clean bucket. Add some warm water to make a foamy solution. Flip the wheel over so the inside surface of the rim again faces up. Use a dish sponge with a mildly abrasive pad on one side to wash the remaining brake dust off the inside surface of the rim.

What affect would a dirty blower wheel have on your split? ›

The most immediate impact of a dirty fan wheel (dirty blower wheel) is a reduced volume of air being moved by the fan wheel. The effectiveness of the fan wheel is highly dependent on the profile on the leading edge of the fan - which if it is covered in dirt and mould - will be compromised. Increased power consumption.

How do you know if your air blower is bad? ›

Key Signs of a Bad Blower Motor
  • Strange Rattling, Clanking, or Screeching. ...
  • Weak or No Airflow From The Vents. ...
  • A Sudden Spike in Your Energy Bills. ...
  • An Overheating HVAC System. ...
  • Replace or Maintain a Part in the Blower Motor. ...
  • Replacing the Blower Motor. ...
  • Keep Up With HVAC Maintenance.

Why clean a blower wheel? ›

Any dirt that has accumulated on those blades will cause your blower wheel to work harder to produce the same temperatures you're accustomed to. And if a blower wheel gets too dirty, your furnace may not operate at all!

Where is my AC blower fan? ›

For most furnaces, your blower motor will be located in the base of the unit next to the air filter. For most ACs and heat pumps, it will be located inside the air handler (i.e., the indoor unit). It's also possible that certain units may share a blower motor in the air handler—typically with an AC and furnace.

How do you clean a system unit fan? ›

Cleaning Fans

For virtually any PC fan (case fans, graphics card fans, heat sink fans, etc.), a few blasts of compressed air can remove most loose dust. Just make sure that if you're cleaning a case fan, you open up the case so that you can blow the dust out into the environment and not back into the computer.

Should you run your blower fan without the air conditioner? ›

However, you might also think that you'll save money by running the fan without the AC when it's warm out. Professional air conditioning repair technicians actually advise against this, however; while it's true that the fan alone uses less energy than the AC, it will almost certainly result in higher utility bills.

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