Is Your AC Blowing Hot Air? Here’s What You Need to Do

If you’re a homeowner in St. Louis, MO, an efficient air conditioning system is absolutely essential to your comfort during the hot summer months. You want your unit to work the moment temperatures start getting warm. If you find your AC system is blowing hot air instead of cold, you need to discover the cause of the issue and get it repaired as soon as possible. Here are some of the main causes and fixes when an AC unit is blowing hot air.

Check the thermostat

The thermostat is the first thing you should check when you’re investigating the causes of an AC unit blowing hot air in your St. Louis, MO home. It’s a good idea to replace the batteries to make sure the thermostat is functioning correctly. You should also make sure that the switch is set to “cool” instead of “heat” and see if cold air starts to blow from the vents.

Check the electrical panel

After you’ve made sure the thermostat is working correctly, checking the circuit breaker is the next step in discovering the causes of an AC unit blowing hot air. Your air conditioning unit requires plenty of power to run correctly, and circuit breakers shut off automatically as a safety precaution if the demand for power is too high. Look for a tripped breaker, then flip the breaker completely off and back on. If you see that a blown fuse is the culprit, replace it and see if the air conditioner starts blowing cool air.

Check the air filters

If the thermostat or circuit breaker isn’t causing the problem with your air conditioning system, you likely need the help of an expert HVAC technician to diagnose the issue. One of the first things they’ll check is the air filter. If the filter is dirty, cool air isn’t able to move freely, putting too much strain on the air conditioner and causing it to blow hot air. Your technician will replace the filter and see if the issue is resolved.

Check for refrigerant leaks

If refrigerant escapes your system via a leak, the system can’t complete cooling cycles and will blow warm air. Only a licensed HVAC technician who’s certified in refrigerant handling can fix this problem, and it can be key to ensuring your system blows cool air all throughout the summer months.

Check the evaporator coils

Your technician will also check for frozen evaporator coils. Poor airflow, refrigerant leaks or other issues can cause the evaporator coils to freeze. Your technician will make any necessary repairs that are needed to thaw the coils.

It often takes the expertise of a trained technician to discover the causes and necessary fixes when an AC unit is blowing hot air. Since summers can get hot in St. Louis, MO, it’s important to get the issue resolved before temperatures get too hot. Contact the team at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling to get your air conditioning system blowing cool air once again in time for summer.