You walk into your home or office expecting to be greeted by the rush of cool crisp air, but instead, you wonder if you’re still outside in sunny Tampa Bay, Florida! Why is the air conditioner blowing warm air?
Let’s talk about what could be happening inside your HVAC system.
Thermostat Issues
Before you call Action Air Conditioning, change your thermostat batteries. Sometimes that’s all it takes to fix the problem and it can save you money.
If that doesn’t do the trick, it could still be a problem with the thermostat. Either the thermostat was incorrectly calibrated, it’s set to HEAT, or the blower fan could be set to “ON” all of the time causing it to blow hot air, even between the air conditioner’s regular cycling.
If your thermostat is set to HEAT then change it to COOL. And if the blower fan is set to ON, change it to AUTO. If it’s incorrectly calibrated, it’s reading the wrong room temperature. A professional may be able to recalibrate it or replace it if it’s old and needs to be retired.
Filter Change
Another quick DIY fix that might just work is checking your filters and changing them out for clean ones. Sometimes that’s all you need to do in order to get cold air flowing through your home again.
On average, you should change your filters every 90 days, but if you have recently done heavy spring cleaning or have a handful of furry pets, you may need to change it even sooner. Check your filters every 30 days and if they look dirty, replace them for the sake of your HVAC system.
Blocked filters put a strain on your HVAC and can greatly reduce the airflow in your living space. If you have any questions about what filters are best for your specific HVAC system, ask the manufacturer. They will know what is best for their equipment.
Circuit Breaker
Check to see if your outdoor unit is actually running. If not, your circuit breaker could have been tripped. Replace any blown fuses and reset the circuit breaker.
If it trips again, the unit may be experiencing a serious electrical issue and needs a trained professional to come in and check the system.
Low Levels of Refrigerant
Your AC can’t cool itself. It needs a chemical known as “refrigerant” that is sent from the condenser to become a liquid to the evaporator coils to become a gas. The cool breeze you feel is the result of air blowing through the cold coils that hold frigid refrigerant within.
When your refrigerant finds a way to escape or leak, you may notice ice buildup around the evaporator or condenser coils, hissing sounds, or bubbling noises. A refrigerant leak can also cause an unexplained spike in your energy bill cost.
A trained technician will need to find the leak and repair it and then replace the lost refrigerant. This is a repair that needs to be done right away for the safety of everyone. Refrigerants are hazardous and toxic chemicals and should not be handled by untrained individuals.
Dirt
Yes, you read that right. Dirty condenser coils can prevent your AC from cooling properly, leading to your air conditioner blowing warm air. They are an essential part of your cooling system and are responsible for removing heat from the air.
Especially in Florida, where sweltering heat, high humidity, and severe storms ravage our homes every year, an air conditioner’s coils can get dirty fast. If it’s allowed to continue to work in a filthy state, it will quickly deteriorate the rest of the unit and could overwork the entire system.
You should have your HVAC company come out and seasonally service your system (which will include cleaning the coils with a special solution).
If your coils are beyond dirty, do not attempt to clean them yourself, and don’t use chemicals to assist. You could permanently damage the coils which would require a full replacement, or electrocute yourself. Instead, call Action Air Conditioning and let an expert help you to wash your condenser safely and effectively.
Let the pros find a solution
Besides these easily identifiable causes, your unit could be experiencing a
- clog in the expansion valve
- broken compressor
- damaged fan
- tear in your ducts
- …and the list can go on!
When your air conditioner is blowing warm air and you can’t figure out why, call the pros at Action Air Conditioning to help you to troubleshoot your problem and find the solution! It’s probably a simple and quick repair job. In a matter of only a few hours, we will leave you with the comfort of cool air in your home or business once again.