Help! My air conditioner is blowing more hot air than Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
If you’ve ever come home to the air conditioner blowing hot air, you know that “Could my day get any worse?” feeling that I have felt. It’s no fun, but no use crying into a puddle of sweat. Check out these common problems and solutions and get your house back to comfortable.
Thermostat is Improperly Set: It may seem obvious, but you would be surprised at how many people have made this simple mistake. Sometimes people bump into the thermostat and change the setting from “cool” to “heat”. A more common mistake is changing the fan from “auto” to “on”, which causes the fan to blow air when the system isn’t running. When the system is not in the process of cooling, the air coming out of the registers can feel warm by comparison. Luckily, this is a very simple fix. Simply change the thermostat to the correct settings and your space should cool down in no time.
Restricted Airflow: This is also a fairly common issue. One of the leading causes of airflow being restricted is dirty filters. If this is the case, simply change out the filter. If you are not sure how to change your filter, check this article out. If after changing your filter you are still not getting cold air, it may be time to call in a professional.
Electrical Issues: Unfortunately, it is possible for the circuit breaker to have been tripped or for a fuse to have blown. As a result, the outside unit of your system could have lost power, causing the indoor component to blow warm air. If this is the case, you should call a trusted HVAC contractor immediately, as this could be a sign of a serious electrical issue. Do not attempt to try to fix this yourself, as this can be dangerous.
Refrigerant Leak: It’s possible for refrigerant lines and connections to come loose, causing a leak in the refrigerant. There are a variety of reasons that a leak could occur. Whatever the cause may be, it is important that you get in touch with a licensed professional right away to have the leak repaired, as refrigerants can be dangerous to handle if you are not properly trained.
Dirty Unit: Sometimes, the outside condenser unit can become covered in weeds, sticks, bushes, leaves, and other debris. As a result, the airflow of the unit can be blocked. This lack of airflow will cause your home to not be cooled properly. If you notice that your condenser is particularly dirty, it may be a good time to clean your condensing unit or call an HVAC contractor to do a tune-up of your system so that you do not experience future issues.
Compressor: If there is a problem with a compressor, the whole system will not function properly. There are several possible things that could go wrong with the compressor, including electrical issues, overheating, and refrigerant issues. If your compressor goes bad, you should not try to fix it. Only a professional can come out and confirm that the compressor is bad. Unfortunately, the more typical outcome of a bad compressor is an expensive repair or the need to replace the entire system. That might be a good news / bad news scenario as the Central AC units from companies like the sponsor of this blog, Allied Air, are making more efficient and cost effective units nowadays. Click here to find and consult with a local dealer.
When the heat of summer is beating down on your home, the last thing that you want is your air conditioner to start blowing out hot air. The good news is that, in many instances, the problem can be easily resolved with the flip of a switch or the change of a filter. However, if you find that the issue is something that requires a professional, get in touch with us and we will connect you with a certified contractor in your area.
