How to Improve Central Air Flow Volume

Air Flow Volume

• 1

  Change the filters in your central system regularly. The air filters, which are situated at the intake near your unit, screen out dust and other particles in the air that can damage your unit. Install a new air filter as recommended by the manufacturer. Most filters should be changed every two months or so. If your house is particularly dusty, it could require a monthly change.

• 2

  Check your duct work for blockages or other factors that could impede the flow of air through them. Loose insulation might have fallen into the ducts and created a roadblock for the air moving through the system. If you have flexible ducts, they can crush easily or collapse at sharp curves in the pipe. Inadequate filtering could also leave excessive debris, dust and dirt in the ducts. This requires cleaning to maximize airflow through the central air system. Check the ducts for leaks or loose connections between sections because loss of air will negatively affect the flow as much or more than debris blockage.

• 3

  Clean the blades on your blower fan. Dirty fan blades can reduce the amount of air the blower can force through the ducts in your home. Turn off the power to the system at the breaker before cleaning for safety purposes and then wipe down the blades with a clean cloth to remove dust, dirt and grime. Once the fan is clean, it will improve the airflow and the overall performance of your central unit.

• 4

  Open up more registers in your home. While it might seem that closing off registers would increase the airflow through your system, the opposite is true in many cases. According to the California Energy Commission, closing registers can actually increase the incidents of duct leakage and therefore reduce the total airflow throughout the system.