Why Is My Air Conditioner Blowing Hot Air?
Picture this, you’ve spent the day out having fun in the sun. The weather is warm and you’re ready to head inside to cool off. You get inside, but find that it’s oddly warm inside your home. Upon further investigation, you realize your air conditioner is blowing hot air! There could be a few reasons as to why this is happening.
Your Thermostat
A good place to start when looking for the culprit of the issue is your thermostat. We know, it sounds a little too simple. However, this is a common reason why your air conditioner could be doing the opposite of what it’s supposed to be doing. Oftentimes, the issue could be as simple as the settings accidentally getting flipped to ‘heat’ instead of ‘cool.’ If this doesn’t fix the problem, your thermostat may need new batteries. Simply pop the thermostat off the wall and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for changing the batteries. You’ll usually only need a screwdriver, and new batteries of course.
Refrigerant
It’s very common for your air conditioner to be low on refrigerant, and thus only blowing hot air. This is not a problem you should attempt to fix on your own. Refrigerants, also commonly known as coolant, can be very dangerous. So dangerous, in fact, that you have to be a licensed HVAC technician to purchase and handle this substance. Give your local HVAC company a call right away to inspect your system and add more refrigerant if needed. An experienced professional will know to investigate this issue further. Refrigerant operates on a closed loop system, therefore, if your refrigerant levels are low, there is a problem somewhere in the system. No refrigerant should be leaking out in a properly operating system.
Dirty Air Filters
Air filters may seem like an unimportant component of your HVAC system, but they are crucial to your system’s success. HVAC filters remove dust, dander, and other airborne contaminants from the air reentering your home from the system. Over time, the debris that’s caught will clog up your air filters. When this happens, your air conditioner will struggle to push air past the filter into the system. This strain can lessen air flow and even cause your system to blow warm air instead of cool. Take a peek at your filters, and if they’re dirty, replace them to see if it makes a difference in airflow and temperature.
Frozen AC Coil
Frozen evaporator coils can cause your system to blow hot air as well. It seems odd that something being frozen would cause hot air, but it’s true! Your evaporator coils freeze when heat is not able to be absorbed into the refrigerant. The refrigerant will get colder and colder with no heat being absorbed, and soon the condensation on the outside of the line will freeze into a block of ice. Some things which can be preventing airflow to the evaporator coil include blocked air ducts, a dirty coil, or low refrigerant. If you find your system frozen over, turn off your air conditioner and give your local HVAC company a call right away. Your technician will be able to inspect the problem and have your system properly thawed out.
Give Us A Call
When you run into HVAC troubles, give Bunns & Bennett a call at (256) 536-0967, or email us at [email protected]. Nobody wants their air conditioning system to be blowing warm air just as it’s getting hot and humid outside.
We proudly offer fast, friendly, professional HVAC service. We’re ready to help when you need us! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more helpful information regarding your HVAC system. Air Conditioner Blowing Hot Air Air Conditioner Blowing Hot Air Air Conditioner Blowing Hot Air
