Your Air Conditioner Is Blowing Hot Air – Now What?

As the temperature finally starts to warm up, a lot of people in Lodi, NJ, are turning on their air conditioning systems for the first time in months. Hopefully, all goes well, and the system starts up without any problems – but that isn’t always the case.

One of the most common problems that can happen is that the AC turns on, but it starts blowing warm or hot air, rather than cold air.  In most cases, this is going to require professional AC repair in Lodi, NJ, to fix – but it’s a good idea to do a little basic troubleshooting first.  There are a few things you can check before calling in a service call.

What To Do If Your Air Conditioner Is Suddenly Blowing Warm Air

• 1 – Check your thermostat settings

Start with the easiest possibility first – there’s something wrong with the settings on the thermometer.  After all, it’s easy for many thermostats to get bumped, or for someone else in the house to twiddle with it and then forget about it.

In particular, keep in mind that pretty much any home HVAC system has a “fan-only” setting that simply blows air through the system without any heating or cooling.  It’s pretty common for people to accidentally turn this on, then think there’s something wrong with the AC when it doesn’t start cooling.

So, make sure the thermostat is set to “cool” or “auto” before assuming anything is wrong.

• 2 – Verify that the outdoor unit has power

Next on the list of things that might be wrong that aren’t an actual problem, it’s possible that the outdoor unit isn’t receiving power.  The outdoor evaporator takes a lot of power, so it’s relatively easy for a circuit breaker to be tripped without you realizing it.  Make sure the breaker is properly set.

Also, most outdoor units have a power switch either on the unit itself or mounted to the wall nearby. Make sure this is flipped on. This issue is particularly common if you recently had repair work done on your outside unit; the repair crew may have forgotten to turn it back on.

If the outdoor unit is running, you’ll be able to see and hear it.

• 3 – Look for obstructions around the outdoor unit

Next up, there’s the possibility that the outdoor unit isn’t getting enough airflow to properly function.  Air conditioning relies on taking heat, which is indoors, and transporting it outdoors via an evaporator. Without air, the evaporator can’t evaporate.

In many cases, this is due to debris, fallen leaves, and other junk cluttering up the vents and fan on the outdoor unit. There could also be outdoor objects crowding it. We sometimes see shrubs or bushes that became overgrown and started clogging up the outdoor unit.

Either way, the outdoor unit should always have at least one foot of clearance around its sides, and five feet of clearance above. The vents and fans should also be regularly cleared of debris to ensure good performance.

• 4 – The air filter could be clogged

Your indoor AC unit (the one that’s probably in your basement or utility room) relies on an air filter to prevent dirt and dust from being blown around your home.  These filters can become clogged surprisingly quickly. Filters sold in shops say they are good for “up to” three months, but it’s rare for a filter to go that long without needing to be cleaned or replaced.

If the filter is clogged, it’ll severely restrict airflow through the system, and prevent cold air from circulating.  Fortunately, this one’s easy.  Just clean or replace the filter and see if the situation improves.

• 5 – The outdoor evaporator coil is frozen over

In certain situations, especially when there isn’t enough airflow, the evaporator coil can become so cold and covered in water that it ices over.  When this happens, the system won’t be able to produce more cold air. 

Typically, if the coil is frozen, you’ll be able to see it.  Clear out any debris nearby, as mentioned in #3, to ensure there’s plenty of airflow.  Then turn your AC system to fan-only, and let it run like that for a while. The relatively warm air from the house should thaw out the evaporator coil fairly quickly.  Once thawed, switch back to cooling, and it should work.

Professional and Certified AC Repair in Lodi, NJ

And what if none of these steps work?  That’s when you’re going to need professional AC repair in Lodi, NJ – like Air Temp Service. We have years of experience, and we’re on call 24/7, so we can always be there when you need us. Click here to schedule an appointment with our HVAC professionals!