As the warmer months creep into Gilbert, AZ, you rely heavily on your home’s air conditioner. The weather outdoors can reach extremely hot and even dangerous conditions in the summer, leaving you to seek refuge in the comfort of your home. If your air conditioner doesn’t blow out strong cold air, however, you cannot escape the heat.
There are a number of reasons your AC may blow warm or even hot air, most of which require a professional HVAC technician for repairs or replacement services. Read on and learn of some of the common reasons your cooling system may give you heat instead of cold air so you know how to respond.
Clogged Air Filter
Your air conditioner has an air filter that traps dust and debris to keep these contaminants out of your system. If this filter becomes clogged, it creates a harder workload for your cooling system. Your AC must work harder to force air through the clogged filter. Because of this, the conditioned air may not be cold by the time it reaches the opening of your vents.
Change your air filter once every three months or less to prevent it from clogging. For areas with heavy pollution or contaminants in the air, you may need to change the filter more frequently. If you have warm air blowing through the vents, check the filter even if you have changed it recently. This is one simple task you can do on your own that could help restore cold airflow.
Dirty Coils
The coils inside your air conditioner help with the creation of cold air and proper heat exchange. Over time, the coils may become covered in dust and dirt. This buildup can create an insulating layer on the outside of the coils that prevents proper heat exchange. If hot air cannot escape the system, it may mix in with the cold air. In some cases, this buildup can even prevent the system from making cold air, leaving you with nothing but hot air to blow through the vents.
Schedule maintenance every spring to prevent dirty coils inside your air conditioner. Our cooling service technicians carefully wipe away dust and dirt from the outside of these coils during annual maintenance, preventing excess buildup that can hinder operation. We also clean other components in the system, removing all the dust and dirt to lower the risk of filthy conditions inside your air conditioner.
Refrigerant Leak
Refrigerant is the primary component needed to make cold air inside your air conditioning system. Without refrigerant, the system cannot produce the cold air needed to keep your home cool in the summer. If you have a refrigerant leak somewhere in the air conditioner, you’ll likely get warm or hot air from the vents, even in cooling mode. Refrigerant cycles through the system, making several different areas possible for leaks.
If you suspect a refrigerant leak, call a professional HVAC technician right away. Leaking refrigerant can be harmful to the environment, people, and pets and should be stopped and fixed immediately. Aside from getting warm air in cooling mode, other signs of a refrigerant leak include seeing liquid dripping from your system and hearing hissing sounds inside the air conditioner.
Thermostat Settings
If you haven’t already, check your thermostat. If you have hot air coming from your vents, you may need to adjust your thermostat settings. Make sure the system is set to cooling mode. Make sure the selected temperature is appropriate considering the outdoor climate. If you have your thermostat set to a temperature higher than the outdoor temperature, your system may only circulate air rather than create cold air, making the air from the vents feel warmer than you’d expect.
Faulty AC Condenser
The creation of cold air happens inside the condenser of your air conditioner. If your condenser is old, worn, or otherwise faulty, it cannot make cold air for cooling your house. The system may still circulate air through the vents, but that air will not be cold.
Our technicians can repair or replace your condenser to solve this problem in most instances. However, if you have an older system with other issues as well, now may be the time to replace the air conditioner with a new, more efficient cooling system.
Frozen Coils
When the coils inside your air conditioner freeze, you won’t get cold air for the house. You may get warm air or no airflow at all, depending on the circumstances.
There are many factors that can lead to frozen coils inside your air conditioner. Dirty air filters, dirty coils, lack of refrigerant, and other faulty conditions can cause issues that lead to freezing.
If your air conditioner freezes, shut it off. Check your air filter for excess dust and dirt and change if necessary. Wait for the coils to thaw before turning the system back on. If the air conditioner freezes again, call our technician for professional diagnosis and repair.
Leaks in the Ductwork
Once your air conditioner makes cold air, the conditioner air travels through air ducts to the various vents around your home. These ducts provide a closed, secure pathway so that the air stays cold until it reaches the outer opening of the vents. If your air ducts have holes, gaps, or other areas where the conditioned air can escape, you may not get enough cold air through the vents. This can cause the air to leak out prematurely and leave you with warmer air than needed to cool the house.
If you suspect an issue with the ductwork in your home, call a professional technician. We can use special equipment to see the entire span of air ducts and find problems. We use cameras and other equipment that allow us to find damage so that we know the precise location of the leak. We can patch small holes and replace more extensively damaged areas to prevent air loss. For extremely old and corroded ductwork or very large areas of concern, we can replace the air ducts for better airflow.
Restore Comfort by Contacting Our HVAC Specialists
As a family-owned HVAC company in the local Gilbert area, we understand the importance of quality and integrity. We have over 20 years of specialized experience performing trusted heating and cooling repair services in your neighborhood. We offer same-day and 24/7 emergency service when you need it, ensuring your system stays running even when the temperatures reach extremes.
Our technicians have extensive knowledge and skills to handle all your repairs, replacements, installations, and maintenance so you can enjoy peace of mind when you hire us. And, as always, we offer fair, competitive pricing with no hidden fees so you don’t face any surprises when we hand you the bill. If your air conditioner blows out anything other than cold air, you need our professional technicians for repair services.
Call A/C & Plumbing Doctors today and enjoy comfort in your Gilbert home this summer.
