Why does my Air Conditioner Blow Hot Air?
Why does my air conditioner blow hot air?
It's a hot summer day. Sometimes your AC will blow hot air and not cool air. This can be very frustrating, annoying, and uncomfortable. Five Star Mechanical technicians are available to help you understand why your AC is acting strangely and when to call for repairs.
What are some reasons my AC is blowing hot air?
1) Your thermostat may be incorrect Although this may seem obvious, sometimes your thermostat might not be set correctly. Check that your thermostat is not on "heat" and that no one else has altered it recently.
2) Your AC is frozen. It seems counterintuitive. An AC unit that freezes prevents cool and fresh air from entering your house. The motor will produce hot air, which is all you'll get.
3) You have leaking or disconnected ducts. Hot houses can be a result of hot ducts. Cool air is not getting into your home if your ducts are damaged or have holes.
4) The outside unit is not on. This could be because your circuit breaker has failed, or the outdoor unit has gone out of commission. You might want to go outside to check that they are working correctly. If they aren't, cool air won't be getting in.
Why is my air conditioner not cooling as fast as it should.
Problems with the thermostat: A malfunctioning thermostat, or a digital thermostat that has low batteries can cause short cycling and other problems. A thermostat in poor locations can cause rapid cycling. For example, it could be near a duct or in direct sunlight. The thermostat will heat quickly and turn on the system, then shut off when the temperature drops rapidly.
Electrical problems or control board - A variety of issues can arise with an air conditioner. Faulty sensors, relays or start capacitors, as well as sensor failures, may lead to several problems. However, sometimes a simple reset will fix the problem.
A blocked duct or air filter - If there is insufficient airflow to evaporate the refrigerant from the compressor, it may heat up and shut down the air conditioner prematurely. Problems with air flow can often be traced back to a dirty filter, blocked registers in the air ducts, or debris within the ductwork.
Frozen evaporator, dirty coils - Overheating and shutting down of an air conditioner system can be caused by a dirty evaporator coil or condenser coil. Sometimes, the evaporator can ice up from a combination of dirt and poor airflow. The system will then shut down until it has thawed completely.
Low refrigerant Leakage or insufficient refrigerant can lead to unstable and erratic compressor pressures. This could cause the safety switch to trip and shut down your system before it has fully cooled.
Large air conditioner - If you have an older system that has never short cycled or a new air conditioner, the unit may be too big for your home. The air conditioner will quickly cool your home, turn itself off and then restart the cycle. Although it works normally, an oversized system can cause discomfort because it cannot properly dehumidify and filter the air in a short cycle. The compressor's constant operation can cause premature wear, as well as higher utility bills.
When is it time to call a professional?
Five Star Mechanical is committed to providing heating and air conditioning services in Seattle and Tacoma to all customers. Our technicians have extensive experience in many HVAC services and repairs. Five Star can repair your AC unit if it's blowing hot air.