Why Is My AC Blowing Hot Air? 5 Things to Check
The worst thing to happen when you walk into your home after a long day of work is figuring out the AC is acting up. Georgia’s heatwaves are no joke so having your AC blowing hot air is a major problem.
Why is this happening? There are a few different things you can check before calling in a professional.
1. When is the Last Time You Changed the Air Filter?
While it may seem completely unrelated, having a dirty clogged air filter puts more stress on the unit. It can cause the unit to have reduced airflow and impedes its cooling operations.
In order to maintain functioning properly, the AC unit needs warm air running over the coils to make the machine work. When the air filter is completely clogged with dust, dirt, and particulate it blocks the vent from letting air into the system.
When there is no air entering the system, there is no way for the AC coils to remove the heat. So, your system will just blow the hot air back into your house.
2. Do You Know Where Your Return Vents Are?
Some people are not aware of where the return vents of their AC system is in their home. This is a problem.
If the return vent is blocked by furniture, boxes, or anything else the system can’t operate correctly.
Take a walk around your home or office and make sure that all your returns and registered have space and the airflow isn’t being impeded.
3. How’s Your Thermostat Doing?
If you’re AC is blowing warm air you should make sure you check the thermostat. These get messed with all the time.
Whether a child accidentally hits one with a ball or bat, they get hit with a flying toy, or someone simply turns it off because they got cold the thermostat can have all your answers.
Make sure that it’s set properly, is on the right temp, and is switched to cool. Sometimes units get accidentally switched to fan which means the air isn’t being cooled just pumped through the system. So, whatever the temperature is outside will be the temperature of the air.
4. Check Your Ducts for Leaks and Other Issues
Just like when you have a leak in the bathroom you want to make sure all the ductwork of your AC is fully intact. Sometimes connections come loose or the duct gets a hole in it.
Any issues with the ducts mean that air is not going to be properly circulated through your AC system. The cooled air may be being wasted in some unused space due to the leak and all that’s left for the home’s interior is warm air.
Do the checking yourself of all the accessible ductwork but, if you find a problem make sure to contact a professional to make the repairs. If you don’t know what you’re doing you could make the problem worse.
5. Check on Your Power Supply
Sometimes the answer can be more simple than you believe it to be. The main handler of your unit, outside your home, is run on electricity. Many times the air handler will be on its own breaker to not overload the system.
Check your fuse box to see if a circuit breaker has been flipped or a fuse is blown. If something looks off to you go ahead and call in an HVAC specialist. However, you can check one thing on your own.
Most units have an emergency shutoff switch. Locate yours and see if it’s been triggered. This sometimes happens inadvertently. Go ahead and switch it back on to see if that works. If the shutoff switch cut power to the unit it will blow warm air.
Make Sure Your AC Stays Healthy With a Regular Maintenance Plan
No matter what the situation is, you’ll want to avoid it happening again. Many people don’t give their AC much thought until it isn’t working.
But, preparation is key. If you have a regular maintenance plan in place for your home’s major system, like the HVAC, you’ll avoid costly emergency trips from specialists.
With regular maintenance, an HVAC specialist can spot problems starting before they become an emergency.
Are you ready to get a maintenance plan in place for your unit? Are you still having problems with the unit blowing hot air? Contact us today for a free estimate!
