Why Is My AC Unit Blowing Hot Air? Check These 6 Things First
December 18th, 2019
Aren’t Hawaiian “winters” the best? We can save money on our electric bills by just popping open the windows to let those cool island trade winds blow through the house.
When that first scorcher of the season hits, that AC unit needs to work and it needs to work well. No one wants an AC unit blowing hot air in their face!
6 Reasons an AC Unit is Blowing Hot Air
1. The Settings Got Messed Up
It may sound simple, but you’d be surprised how many times we get to a customer’s home and realize someone has just bumped the settings and screwed things up.
Always double-check the settings first. Sometimes, they may need to be calibrated by a professional too.
Remember that if an AC unit is set to “on” rather than “auto,” it may keep blowing room temperature air when it’s not cooling – like a fan.
2. The Intake Vent is Blocked with Debris
If the unit is covered with leaves or dirt, that means it isn’t getting air which can lead to an AC unit blowing hot air. Cut off the electricity and clean off the intake vent.
3. The Coils are Dirty or Fins are Bent
Even if an AC unit looks clean, that doesn’t mean the coils aren’t clogged up with gunk.
For window units, cut off the electricity and pop open the back panel. Vacuum out any dust, hair, and dirt. Use a brush and some cleaner to wipe down the condenser fins. If they’re bent, use a special fin comb to straighten them out.
Make sure to wear leather gloves for this.
4. The Filter Needs a Change or Cleaning
While the AC is open, we recommend cleaning or changing the air filter. It’s important to clean your AC filter once a month during the summer when it’s running all the time.
5. The AC Unit Needs Refrigerant or Freon
For an AC unit blowing hot air, icing over, leaking, or triggering sky-high electric bills, freon might be the culprit. This is a fix best left to the professionals, so give us a call.
6. There’s an Electrical Issue
Power outages can lead to blown fuses and brownouts. Remember that AC units draw a ton of power!
Check the fuse box to make sure all the switches are on.
Inside the unit, faulty wiring is also common.
Whether an AC unit is tipping the circuit breaker or needs an internal wire fix, this is another job only a professional should handle.
AC Unit Still Blowing Hot Air?
In many cases, we can fix an AC unit blowing hot air with a simple tune-up so there’s usually no need to replace the whole thing. Our experts will conduct a 32-Point Safety Inspection & Tune Up to diagnose the specific problem and get your AC running icy cold again!
Schedule an appointment for a 32-point tune-up on either Oahu or Kauai today!