At Air Treatment Climate Care, a common question we hear is, “why is my AC blowing warm air?” The answer could be a few things.
Your AC works with an evaporator coil that holds liquid refrigerant. The liquid converts to gas, and warm air in your home is absorbed by the refrigerant. Air is cooled as it goes over the coil and a fan pumps the air in through your ventilation system to cool your home.
To answer the question, “why is my AC blowing warm air?” You first need to know which part of the process is being affected. As you work to diagnose your AC, here are 5 reasons why a heat pump air conditioner is blowing warm air.
1. Leaking Refrigerant/Low Refrigerant Level
Refrigerant is critical to the successful operation of your AC unit. Without it, warm air in your home can’t be absorbed and cooled.
Wondering, “why is my AC hot?” It could be that there’s a leak or low refrigerant level. Leaking refrigerant causes frosty evaporator coils, so keep your eyes peeled for this sign if your AC isn’t blowing cold air throughout your home.
2. Air Filter Blockages
Air filters work with your AC unit to capture particles in the air before they enter your home. If the filter is blocked, it might be blocking more than particles from getting in, it might be blocking airflow.
If cool air can’t circulate, it might seem like the AC unit is blowing warm air. Changing your filter once every 30 to 90 days should keep airflow regular.
3. Outdoor Unit Needs Attending
While your AC unit cools the inside of your home, the outside portion of the unit must be maintained as well. If anything blocks the condenser coil, or if they become dirty, it could start the heat pump air conditioner blowing warm air instead of cold air.
Regularly maintaining the outside unit and cleaning condenser coils will keep your AC in good working order.
4. Evaporator Coils Need Cleaning
Like the condenser coils, evaporator coils need maintenance too. The evaporator coil is located inside the air handler unit. They absorb hot air and cool it through refrigeration. If the coils are obstructed by debris, they can’t work efficiently.
5. AC Blowing Warm Due to Air Capacitor
If your AC is blowing warm, the air capacitor could be the culprit. The AC capacitor is part of the outdoor portion of your unit. It sends power to the motor and starts the cooling cycle.
Can a bad capacitor cause warm air? Absolutely. It could impact the outdoor portion of the unit from working, which halts the cooling process inside your home as well.
Most AC units last 15 to 20 years if properly maintained. Whether the capacitor, coils or refrigerant, you can contact your heating and cooling company to see if it’s time to replace or upgrade your system.
Contact Air Treatment ClimateCare Today
Have questions about your home cooling system? Or you would like to learn more about our maintenance plans that can help keep increase the life of your unit? Contact our experts today.
