Why Is My Air Conditioner Blowing Hot Air?

It’s hot. Really hot.

You walk inside your home, looking forward to cooling off from the hot Florida temps. However, that doesn’t happen. No cool air. No escape from the heat. Just a bunch of hot air blowing through your vents.

When you’re met with an air conditioner blowing hot air, it’s miserable. It’s also stressful. All kinds of questions start running through your mind.

Is my air conditioner broken? How much is this AC repair going to cost? How long will I have to deal with my AC blowing hot air?

When your AC system stops working the right way, you start to sweat.

Let’s take a look at a few reasons why your AC may be acting up.

The Heat is On

No one wants to deal with hot air blowing out of their AC system. That’s just wrong.

Studies show that warm temperatures can make people cranky. Hot and humid temperatures can even make people more aggressive than usual. So, when our AC system isn’t doing its job, we need a fix ASAP.

Cold air is paramount when it comes to keeping us cool, calm, and collected. When the temperature rises in your AC, it’s time to find a fix.

Here are some of the main issues that may be the cause of your AC blowing warm air.

You’re Coils Need Cleaning

Sometimes our AC systems just get dirty.

Your AC system probably runs quite a bit if you live somewhere, like Florida. When the temperatures are warm for most of the year, AC systems work overtime causing the coils to get dirty faster than usual. Also, if you live in an area that is windy or dusty, your coils are going to need a good scrub sooner than later.

You can try a few DIY methods if your coils need a quick and thorough cleaning. Finding how-to guides and videos online can help walk you through the process. A quick check behind your outdoor compressor is a good idea every few months. If the coils look dirty, they are dirty.

Some AC companies offer annual maintenance options. By keeping up with AC maintenance on a consistent basis, you can avoid major issues with your system. If you are dealing with an air conditioner blowing hot air, it may be best to call a professional to take a look.

Hopefully, you just need a quality maintenance check and some clean coils to get rid of an AC blowing hot air.

You’ve Iced Out Your System

You’re dealing with an air conditioner blowing hot air, but your compressor is covered with ice. How about that for some irony.

The possibility of this situation seems ridiculous, but it happens quite a bit.

It can be easy to forget to change our AC filters. This is not a huge deal unless you’ve gone for a really long time without changing those filters. When dirt, dust, and other particles build up on your vents, you end up with restricted airflow. When air can’t easily blow out of the vents, it creates a type of domino effect. The vents block the air. The cold air pushes back against the outside air compressor. Then, you’re faced with a frozen air compressor.

This situation is easy to diagnose by taking a look at your outdoor AC unit (the compressor). If you see ice, then you’ve got a frozen compressor.

If this happens, you can try to defrost the unit.

• Turn your AC system OFF.
• Turn the AC fan ON.

Let the fan run for a few hours to thaw out your compressor. Then, turn your AC back on and see if the air is blowing cool. If not, it may be time to call in the professionals.

You’re Low on Refrigerant

AC systems can’t cool anything without refrigerant.

If everything is working the right way, refrigerant should never be an issue. When hot air starts blowing out of your AC vents, though, one of the first things that will be checked are your refrigerant levels.

A handful of issues could lead to low refrigerant. One of the main things to consider is what type of AC system is installed. Do you have a central ac system? Do you have a ductless, split air conditioning system? Do you have a wall-shaker unit(s)?

Depending on the type of system, you’ll want to have a professional come out and check your lines and your coils. Lots of things could, potentially, be fixed on your own. However, your AC system isn’t always one of them, especially if you have an issue like your AC blowing hot air.

Here are some typical signs indicating that you may have a refrigerant issue.

• You have an air conditioner blowing hot air.
• Your gas/electric bills are higher than usual.
• You hear a weird hissing or bubbling sound coming from your AC lines.
• You can see ice building on your AC lines.

Low refrigerant can sometimes indicate there is a leak somewhere in your AC lines. Tracking the leak can be a bit tricky.

There are a variety of different methods to detect a leak. All of them require specialized equipment. Checking for a leak is not rocket science. With the right equipment, you could find your leak. However, this type of equipment is pricey. Purchasing the equipment to detect a leak could cost quite a bit more than having a professional find it for you.

Chances are, if you’re looking for a leak, then you’ll probably be fixing a leak.

A potential refrigerant leak is something that will require a trained professional. Refrigerant (freon) is dangerous. You don’t want to handle this type of situation yourself. You may as well call for help from a highly trained and reputable AC repair service.

You’ve Got an Electrical Issue

Hearing the phrase electrical issue is never something we want to hear.

Electrical issues don’t always lead to an air conditioner blowing hot air. However, it can happen and it does happen. Depending on the size or age of your AC system, you could be overloading your breaker.

Many times, people pay to have a brand new system installed in their home or office. Sadly, there are AC companies that will complete an installation without evaluating the current state of the electrical system. This can become a huge and dangerous mess.

Knowing the current electrical system in your home will make a huge difference in your AC system. If your system is pulling too much power, it may trip your breaker. When this happens, you may notice that you temporarily lose power. Over time, this situation causes a good amount of wear and tear on your AC and electrical systems.

Electrical issues can be a massive red flag when it comes to safety, too.

The compressor motor could be damaged. The electrical wires could be exposed or damaged. The capacitor could be broken or malfunctioning. The condenser fan could be busted.

There are a number of potential reasons why you’re AC system could be blowing a fuse. If any of these things are broken, then you may be dealing with an AC blowing hot air every day. It’s crucial to have your air conditioner repair done by a highly-trained company anytime you suspect there’s an electrical issue.

You never want to take a chance with electrical issues.

Don’t Sweat an Air Conditioner Blowing Hot Air

Feeling your air conditioner blowing hot air can cause you to stress.

Don’t.

There are a number of issues that could be causing your system to blow hot air, and not all of them are expensive and catastrophic. You may have dirty coils that need to be cleaned. You may have a small replacement needed in your compressor. You may have aa minor issue with your breaker box.

These fixes are not always massive and won’t always break the bank when it comes to repair costs.

However, there are some larger issues that could be happening to your AC system. You may have a break, or a leak, in your outdoor lines. You may have leaking refrigerant. You may have an electrical issue hiding in your walls or in your main breaker box.

These fixes can be massive and may be quite expensive if left unattended.

If you are familiar with how your AC system works, there are online guides that can walk you through a basic diagnosis of your air conditioning system. When something like an AC blowing warm air starts to happen, though, you may want to outsource to a professional AC repair service.

Trying to fix an AC problem on your own could lead to larger, and more costly repair needs. It’s best to have a trained and qualified professional diagnose your AC issue.

Are you dealing with AC problems? Are you noticing that your air conditioner is blowing hot air when it should be blowing cold air? Let us help.

Give us a call. We’ll schedule an appointment to see what may be causing your AC system issue.

Don’t have any active concerns with your system, but want to avoid one? We would be happy to schedule annual maintenance to help keep your AC running the right way.

Don’t let the heat get you down. We’re here to help.