The main purpose of having an air conditioner installed at home is to produce cold air. It will help you relax and stay cool in your home, even during the hot summer months. But what if your AC unit no longer serves its purpose? What if it starts to make the house feel even warmer?
If your window AC unit isn’t producing cold air, it may need to be cleaned. You can carefully clean the air filters, front grille, coils, condenser, and coil fins to ensure they’re free of dust and debris. Also, make sure nothing is blocking the airflow in and out of your unit.
If you’re facing issues with your window AC unit, read on to find out why that might be, what you can do to improve its performance and enhance the airflow quality inside your home.
Why Your Window AC Unit Isn’t Blowing Cold Air
Window AC units function by exchanging the air inside with the air from the outside. Usually, if it gets even hotter outside, you can crank up the AC, and it should adjust accordingly to keep you comfortable.
However, if you’re noticing warm air coming in, your unit may not be functioning correctly even if you’ve already set it to the lowest temperature possible. It might need a few tweaks, cleaning, or other maintenance to get it back in working order.
How to Make Your Window AC Air Colder
Before contacting a skilled technician to fix your window AC unit, there are a few easy fixes you can try out on your own:
1. Clean or Replace the Air Filters
The most common reason preventing an air conditioner from producing colder air is the air filter or filters. The air filter can be filled and clogged with dirt and dust with frequent use. This blocks the airflow.
To clean the air filter, prepare a bucket of water, dish soap, a small brush or a toothbrush, and a wiping cloth.
Unplug the unit from the power source first for safety. Then, remove the filter. Add the dish soap to the bucket of water and dip the filter there. This is the easiest and fastest way to get rid of the dust and grime. You can also brush the dirt off for further cleaning.
Once it’s clean, rinse the filter and wipe it dry. After drying, you can now place it inside your AC unit and see if something’s changed with the air it produces.
If the filter is very worn out, it may be best to invest in a new one.
2. Unblock the Airflow
Sometimes, the air cannot flow properly because something’s blocking its passage. Make sure to check the areas around the vents of your window AC unit and remove anything that is preventing the air from passing through.
3. Check Both Coils
A window AC unit has two types of coils inside: the internal, or the evaporator, coil and the external, or condensation, coil. Since the coils’ function is to pull the air from the outside to the inside and vice versa, it is also prone to dust and dirt buildup.
You can clean it yourself by brushing off the dirt or applying self-rinsing oil.
4. Brush Off the Front Grille
The front grille of your window AC unit can also be the culprit behind why it won’t produce colder air. If it already has thick dust, it can interfere with the airflow and produce less air. That amount of air is the only thing that can be cooled down, and it may not be enough if you have a bigger room or if the weather is too hot.
You can clean the front grille like the air filter, especially if it can be removed. If not, you can use a smaller brush or an old toothbrush to remove the grime on its surface. Make sure that the front grille is completely dry before turning on the AC unit again.
5. Clean the Condenser
As with the coils, the condenser is also prone to getting dirty. If the condenser has thick dust or dirt on it, it will be hard for the unit to blow cold air.
To clean the condenser, you can try to take the unit out of its position to better clean it. If that’s not possible, you can vacuum the inside or use an old brush.
6. Straighten the Coil Fins
Another method you can try to make your AC unit produce colder air is by straightening the coil fins. The coil fins are thin and delicate metal that can bend easily when the AC unit is working. If they are bent, they can limit the amount of airflow.
If you have to regularly straighten the coil fins, you can buy a Fin Evaporator Tool (on Amazon) that can comb through the fins and prevent them from getting bent.
7. Remove dirt on the External Grates
If the external grates are dirty, they won’t vent properly. You can vacuum the dirt on the top and the side to clean it, especially if you can’t remove the AC unit from the window. You can also try to use a hose and spray it with water to remove all the grime on the surface. If you can take the unit out of the window, you may have better access to the parts needing cleaning.
How to Circulate Air in Your Home
Now that you know the basics of cleaning and maintaining your window AC unit, you’ll hopefully see some improvements in the way it functions.
But you might also try some other ways to improve the air circulation in your home. Remember that good airflow will make it easier for the AC unit to produce cold air.
If you have two windows in your room, but one fan in the first window and face it into your room so that it can blow the air from the outside. On the other window, put another fan and face it to the outside to blow away the hot air from your room. With this simple trick, the air will flow freely inside and provide you with a cool breeze.
Other Problems to Look Out For
Aside from the window AC unit itself, other factors may cause warmer air to fill your room.
Try to check your room’s ventilation, for starters. You may need to add more fans to the room and try the trick we described above.
The location of the air conditioner also plays a vital role. If its outer part is exposed to the sun, you can install a shade to protect it from the sun’s hot rays.
The space or gaps on the doors and windows also causes air leaks. They allow the outside air to come inside, making the AC unit work harder to maintain the set temperature.
If this is the case, try to seal any gaps. It will prevent the air from coming in, and your window AC unit will work better to produce colder air.