Why Is My AC Blowing Hot Air?

With the average summer temperature getting over 90° in Tennessee, having your air conditioner operating at optimal capacity is essential to beating the heat. The last thing you want when you’re trying to cool down is to find out your AC is blowing hot air.

If your AC is blowing warm hair, that’s not an uncommon issue. When it starts blowing hot air, that’s cause for alarm. You want your unit to be blowing cold air and nothing else.

We’re going to talk about why your AC may be blowing hot air and how an HVAC service company can help remedy the issue.

First Steps to Take

If you find that your AC is blowing hot air, there are a few things you should do to troubleshoot the problem. You should verify that your AC’s thermostat is set to cool. Next, check that your fan’s setting is on auto.

If your thermostat looks correct but you’re still not feeling cool air, your air conditioner is likely suffering from one of the following AC problems:

Dirty outdoor unit
A dirty or frozen evaporator coil
Compressor issue

These problems require expertise that you can only find at an HVAC company. They’ll be able to identify the issue that’s plaguing your AC and get it back up and running again in no time.

Dirty Outdoor Unit

Your AC’s outdoor unit is designed to release any heat that’s absorbed by the refrigerant. The condenser coil within the outside unit dissipates the heat into the outside air. This enables the refrigerant to be able to cool down before it goes back into the indoor unit.

If the condenser coil that’s around your outdoor unit is dirty, your AC will, unfortunately, struggle to release the heat it collects. This causes overheating problems and potentially could cause hot air to be blown into your home.

Evaporator Coil Issues

Your evaporator coil is located inside the indoor unit. It’s the part that cools the warm hair inside of your home.

Within the coil, there’s a liquid substance that’s called refrigerant. It absorbs the heat from the warm air as it goes across the coils, resulting in the air becoming cold. That cold air is then recirculated back into your home.

If your evaporator coil freezes over, that can cause problems. Freezing coils don’t equate to a super cold home. When the evaporator coils freeze, the resulting ice buildup makes a barrier that inhibits the refrigerant from absorbing any heat.

The result of this issue is hot or warm air being pushed out of your AC vents. Your unit will also struggle to keep your home cool.

Compressor Problems

Your compressor circulates the refrigerant through your AC. If it’s not working properly, your unit won’t be able to perform its cooling process. This will result in hot air being blown out of your unit.

No matter the reason your air conditioner is blowing out hot air, you should trust a qualified HVAC company to remedy the issue.

If Your AC Is Blowing Hot Air, Get It Fixed Fast

If you discover that your AC is blowing hot air during the hot and humid summer, don’t waste any time. Contact Sewell Electric and HVAC to get your system back up and running again.