Why is My Air Conditioner Blowing Warm Air?
AC System Not Cooling My Home
Summertime in the Midlands of South Carolina can last well into the football season with temperatures reaching near 90 degrees in the middle of October! And while we may love having fun in the warm sun, hot air is the last thing you want from your home AC unit. There’s nothing worse than sitting in your home with the air conditioner blowing hot air!
If you find your air conditioner unit blowing warm air, you should have an AC service technician take a look for any air conditioner repair needs.
Common Reasons AC System Blowing Hot Air When It’s Warm
Refrigerant Leak
Sitting at the top of the list is one common cause for AC units to malfunction. Refrigerants can leak for a variety of reasons, but you’re likely not outside to see the leak. If it leaked on Friday, then on Saturday when you are sitting around the house you won’t be able to see the leak outside because it will be empty.
Unfortunately, there is never one exact reason for a refrigerant leak, but it could be that a joint came loose due to heavy use, or a worn service valve could cause the leak.
The leaks are generally random and unpredictable, but heavy use and turning the AC on high after being off all for a long time period can cause damage to the outside unit. To prevent the unit from leaking in the future, have your AC unit serviced before turning it on for the summer or soon after turning it on.
Refrigerants are dangerous and should always be left to a professional.
Dirty Air Filters
When is the last time you changed or cleaned the air filter in your AC? Air filters do get dirty and this blockage won’t clear up until you or a HVAC technician takes it out and replaces it. The filter alone will not cause warm air to blow, but it will contribute to the problem and reduce cooling effectiveness significantly.
Electrical Component Failure
Miscellaneous electrical problems within your HVAC unit could be the source as well. Unfortunately, it is possible for the circuit breaker to have been tripped or a fuse to have been blown.
As a result, the outside cooling unit of your system could lose power, causing the indoor component (which is where the fan is located) to push out warm air. If this is the case, you should contact a local HVAC company immediately, as this could be a sign of a serious electrical issue.
Do not attempt to try to fix this yourself, as this could be very dangerous.
There are also a ton of wires flowing in out and around the external unit and internal unit. If one of these wires is frayed, cut, or otherwise damaged, it could cause poor performance or even break the unit down entirely. Generally, wires are cut by the family pets, such as cats and dogs.
If the wire is exposed and they decide to chew on it, the unit will malfunction. To prevent this from happening, you should make sure wires are not sticking out. If they are and cannot be fixed, we recommend keeping both your external and internal units protected from animals with some sort of wall or fence around it.
If the wire is broken, you’ll have to contact an AC repair company to replace the broken wires.
Poor Duct Design
It is also possible for you to have a leak in an air duct that’s messing with your system’s cooling process or the ducts could be poorly designed. If your ducts are hidden in your walls, attic, or basement, you’ll need to contact us for help.
When the long and hot dog days of summer are beating down on your home, the last thing 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 by you with a simple change of an air filter.
However, if you find that the issue is something that requires a professional, get in touch with us and we’ll make your Columbia area home is cool and comfortable again at the best value for you!
