AC maintenance is an ongoing duty if you want the best performance from your air conditioner. While you need to keep up with DIY maintenance throughout the summer, such as keeping the condenser free from blockage and changing the filter, you'll still need professional service at least once a year. One of the things the AC maintenance technician will probably do is pull the blower out of the air handler to check and clean it. Here's why.

The Blower Fan Collects Dust Easily

The blower is sometimes called a squirrel cage fan because of the way it's shaped. It's round with a small amount of space between the fins or blades. The spacing makes it easy for dust, hair, and debris to get stuck. When the space between the fins is clogged, the fan can't produce air like it should. You might notice the air coming out of the registers isn't as forceful as it used to be.

The Blower Fan Is In Use During The Winter Too

While the outdoor condenser sits idle all winter, the air handler in your house runs every time the furnace kicks on. That means the blower fan has been running all winter, and that gives it a higher chance of getting coated with dust since the air from your house is pulled inside the air handler. The period between when you turn your furnace off and turn the air conditioner on is a good time to have the blower serviced so all the dust from winter can be removed.

A Dusty Fan Puts Stress On The Blower Motor

An important reason to have the blower cage cleaned is so the blower doesn't cause the motor to burn out. If the blower is so dirty that it becomes difficult to spin, the motor may have a hard time getting the fan to start and spin. This could eventually wear the motor down and cause it to fail. If that happens, you'll need to pay for a new motor, and that could've been prevented with proper AC maintenance.

A Dusty Fan Might Even Affect Air Quality

Since air flows through the blower and into the ducts, the air might pick up dust that can deposit in the ducts or get blown in your home. Changing the filter helps control dust, but it won't do anything for dust that's already inside the air handler and on the blower. This is why cleaning the blower parts is important before summer begins. By starting the season with clean equipment, you don't have to worry about complications due to dirty equipment or air quality issues.