In the heat of summer, hot, stuffy houses and offices are… just the worst. When you have your AC unit properly installed, you can maintain the perfect temperature, with cool temperatures throughout the day and night, for your comfort!

But waking up in a sweat in the middle of the night in bed indicates a cooling defect. And one of the most common complaints is that your AC is blowing warm air.

There are a number of different things that can cause your AC to fail and begin to blow warm air. Read so, it is essential to understand the most frequent reasons why your AC is blowing warm air, and troubleshooting advice. If so, continue reading below to troubleshoot your air conditioner and if needed, place a call for an HVAC technician to fix air conditioning.

Why Is My AC Blowing Hot Air?

An air conditioner blowing hot air is one of the most common problems that homeowners face during the summer months. It’s horrific and sad feeling all the time that you have too much sweat, just because of the hot sun and the air got wet. So, why is your air conditioner blowing warm air during summer? Below are the reasons why:

• Dirty filter: If the air filter is clogged or dirty, it can impede the airflow through the system, which in turn forces your AC to work harder and blow warm air.
• Blocked or dirty out door and in door AC unit: The outdoor and indoor application both work together, in supplying cool AC during summer. But when the outdoor unit becomes clogged with dirt and debris, it becomes difficult to absorb heat from your home to the outside air.
• Thermostat problems: Occasionally the problem is with the thermostat setting, that it’s set to deliver warm air rather than cold air when it’s hot outside.
• Refrigerant leak: Refrigerant not only cools the air, but also absorbs heat during the cooling process, so a leak or low levels would prevent cold air from entering your home because it would not be able to cool the heat carrying refrigerant, leaving you with a warm air supply.
• Evaporator coils in need of a thaw: Much the same as refrigerant, the evaporator coil is essential for cooling the air that is being cycled into your home, so naturally when it is frozen, your AC will be blowing warm air.

How to Diagnose and Fix an AC that Blows Hot Air

It’s always bad news when your AC is blowing hot air. Your cooling system will always have to fail for a reason, and that’s why troubleshooting the cooling system can be valuable. Here are some helpful troubleshooting tips for your broken AC.

Check the Thermostat

Hand setting the temperature on a white digital thermostat attached to a textured wall.

Modern thermostats have various settings. In that situation, had fan set to AUTO and ON. The AUTO feature that fan will continue to blow cool air once room temperatures begin to rise. On the other hand, if you select the ON setting, your fan will always keep blowing cold air unless you switch it to OFF. Check that your thermostat is set to AUTO and the COOL setting.

Clean or Change Your AC Air Filters This is a no-brainer.

You can make use of dusty air filters either by cleaning them or replacing them. But your filters could simply be too dirty for that. It could prove beneficial, as well as assurance that some other parts of your AC stay clean if you change them. If your thermostat is good to go, but you’re still having an issue with warm air, look at your system’s air filters. Here is how to go about it:

• Turn your AC off
• Remove the filters
• Check for dirt and debris.

Test of AC Refrigerant Leaks

Your AC’s refrigerant is an important material that helps transfer heat. It also helps the whole device to work well and blow cool air in summer. Leaks can be detrimental, and your room cooler may not function properly. It is important to test the refrigerant leaks so as you can learn if it pr9vides the air with enough cooling effect. There are three main methods for testing leaks in refrigerant, but the easiest is the soap bubble test. Here is how it works:

• Turn off your AC unit
• Create a soapy solution and fill a spray bottle with soapy solutionBottle Soapy Spray – How to Get Rid of Ants without Poisons for Good!
• Ensure the screening will be windward of the trialism area.
• Wipe the area with a dry cloth
• Apply the solution to the surface and look for soapy bubbles.

If soap bubbles do not appear, then you probably have a refrigerant leak in your AC. But, according to some of us on the HVAC Best Thing team, you might want to reach out to a local HVAC guy and see if he can come check out your unit and test it with some specialized tools. A service technician can verify the presence of the right amount of refrigerant in your AC to enable it to cool the air.

Clean the Outdoor AC Unit

Your outside AC unit may be the real culprit in a system blowing warm air in summer. Mostly, dirt and debris clog the condensing unit and can block air flow, rendering the AC inefficient. Those who have central AC units should also check their condenser units for dirt, plant life, and other obstructions.

If condenser units are dirty, scrubbing them clean with foaming coil cleaner and a garden hose can help dislodge dirt. Clear the area around the outdoor unit of brush and debris to promote adequate breathing and clean up grown up bush and cut them down. If you have a window unit, take it out of the window and outside for a cleaning job. When not in use, take it off the mounting bar and case, and then clean it of dust or other foreign matter using compressed air, household cleaner and a soft bristle brush.

Beware of the Compressor’s Red Flags

A technician in a blue uniform is shown tending to industrial equipment, including tubes and controls, and checking the pressure gauges. He is holding blue and red marked gauges in his hands while other tools are in the background.

Your AC blowing hot air may be due to a bad compressor. This is the key to your cooling system and the heat transfer process that cools your vehicle. If your compressor has gone kaput, you are much better off just picking up the phone and calling in a HVAC technician to handle your AC repair for you. So, be prepared to hear the following sounds:

“Chattering” or “ticking” sounds: These sounds often mean that the compressor is having problems when starting up and cooling down the air.

Rattling/clicking/rumbling sounds: If the compressor motor is failing, it may begin to move around inside your unit, leading to additional issues and creating strange and loud sounds.

If you notice any weird, strange or loud sounds coming from the AC, it’s a sign that the compressor is going bad. Yes you should probably call a tech, that could confirm your thoughts as well and tell you a good step on how to fix it.

Check Evaporator Coils

The evaporator coils in your cooling system remove heat from the air and escort it into the cooling cycle. But as condensation is created as a byproduct, that moisture can build up on the coils and freeze. When condenser coils freeze, the problem will result in your AC blowing warm air. Frozen evaporator coils can be a result of: system damage, leaking refrigerant, lack of sufficient airflow. Inspecting an air conditioner for signs of frozen evaporator coils can assist in correcting the problem. This is how to fix a frozen evaporator coil:

• Turn off your a/c unit
• Open the system access door to the internal components of the system.
• Examine the evaporator coil for frost or ice accumulation

If you see frost or ice on the coils, thawing the coils on their own is the solution that will work the best. Allowing it to sit for 24 hours can be useful, but if you want to help things along, you could also use a hair dryer or heat gun to defrost coils much faster. Since it is a thin line between melting and scorcing the ice, getting an HVAC technician involved can hurry the process, and help prevent any additional harm to your AC unit.

Still Cannot Locate Your AC Hot Air Problem? – We Can Help!

Tracking down the cause of the problem when cooling systems are involved and your AC is blowing warm air can be a very challenging task because your AC is a sensitive and sophisticated device.

Over here at Day & Night Plumbing, Heating and Cooling, we can completely troubleshoot your system, diagnose it, and repair the issue to ensure it is working properly. Get in touch with us by calling 505-974-5797 and we will have you back to that cool, crisp air-conditioned air in no time!