Why Is My Air Conditioner Blowing Hot Air?

You’re in your home when you feel a drop of sweat creep down your forehead. You start to think that’s weird because your air conditioner should be on cool.

The problem you are facing is one that many homeowners have. So, why is your air conditioner blowing hot air? There are many reasons this could be happening.

Read on to find out the most common causes.

Incorrect Thermostat Temperature

If your air conditioner is blowing hot air, the first thing you’ll want to do is double-check your thermostat. It’s possible that you accidentally set your thermostat to heat.

Double-check the thermostat settings to ensure it’s set to cooling mode and at the desired temperature. Additionally, consider replacing the batteries if it’s a battery-operated thermostat, as low batteries can sometimes cause the thermostat to malfunction.

If this is your problem, you’ll be glad you checked instead of calling a residential AC maintenance service.

Additional Tips:

• Ensure your thermostat is placed away from heat sources like direct sunlight, lamps, or appliances that can give off heat, as this can cause incorrect temperature readings.
• Consider upgrading to a programmable or smart thermostat for more precise control over your home’s temperature.

Your Unit Lost Power

Air conditioners are made up of an indoor and outdoor units. If the outdoor unit loses power, it could be causing your AC to blow hot air.

The cause of this could be the circuit breaker or a blown fuse. You can check your circuit breaker and fuse panel to see if this is the problem, but you will need to have it resolved by a professional.

Another potential issue could be a tripped safety switch. Some air conditioning systems have safety switches that shut off the unit when there is a potential electrical issue. If you suspect this is the case, it’s best to contact a professional to inspect and reset the switch if necessary.

Additional Tips:

• Regularly check and reset the circuit breakers to ensure they are not the cause of the problem.
• Have a professional inspect the electrical connections and components during routine maintenance to prevent power-related issues.

Low Refrigerant

The AC unit might be low on refrigerant if the air in your home is warm. If this happens, you probably have a refrigerant leak somewhere in the system.

The air conditioner will work overtime to try to reach the temperature your thermostat is set to but be unable to because of the leak.

An HVAC technician can figure out where the leak in the system is and repair it for you. After repairs and restoring refrigeration levels, your problem will be solved.

Low refrigerant not only affects the cooling efficiency but can also damage the compressor if left unchecked. Regular maintenance checks can help identify refrigerant issues early on, saving you from costly repairs in the future.

Additional Tips:

• Be aware of signs of refrigerant leaks such as hissing sounds, ice buildup on the refrigerant lines, or a noticeable decrease in cooling efficiency.
• Schedule annual HVAC check-ups to ensure the refrigerant levels are properly maintained.

Dirty Evaporator Coils

Keeping your evaporator coils clean is one of the keys to keeping your home cool. If your AC is blowing warm air because of a dirty coil, you’ll need to complete an air conditioner tune-up.

Likewise, you’ll want your air filters to stay clean. Air filters won’t affect the temperature in your home, but they can cause your evaporator coil to get dirty.

If the evaporator coil is covered in debris or dirt, cool air won’t come from your system. Regular AC maintenance can help you avoid this issue in the future.

In addition to regular cleaning, consider using high-quality air filters and changing them every 1-3 months. This simple step can significantly improve airflow and system efficiency, preventing the coils from getting dirty.

Additional Tips:

• Schedule professional cleaning of the evaporator coils at least once a year to maintain optimal performance.
• Ensure that the area around your indoor unit is clean and free of dust and debris that could contaminate the coils.

Clogged Condenser Coils

If you’ve checked your indoor evaporator coils and don’t see an issue, the problem could be stemming from your outdoor condenser coils.

These coils need free airflow that can only occur if they are unclogged. To clean the condenser coils, you’ll want to turn off your unit and rinse the debris. You can do this with a garden hose.

For a deeper clean, consider using a specialized coil cleaner available at most hardware stores. Ensure the power is completely off before cleaning to avoid any electrical hazards. Keeping the area around the outdoor unit clear of plants, grass, and other obstructions can also help maintain good airflow.

Additional Tips:

• Trim back any vegetation around the outdoor unit to maintain a clear space for proper airflow.
• Clean the condenser coils at least twice a year, especially before the summer season, to ensure efficient cooling.

Are You Taking Care of Your Air Conditioner?

If you keep up with regular maintenance and cleaning for your air conditioner, you should be in good hands. However, leaks and a loss of power can occur at any time.

If you can’t find the issue when your AC unit is blowing warm air, seek out a professional AC company for help.

For reliable AC services, Natal Air Conditioning is here for you. We’re just a call away so contact us today!

Blank Thermostat Issues

If you’ve noticed your AC system having blank thermostat issues, you need to know what to do. Each year, over 67,000 people visit emergency rooms because of heat-related illnesses! 

There are some common thermostat issues that you need to know. Keep reading to learn more about what these thermostat problems are and how they can get fixed. 

Blank Thermostat Issues

When it comes to common thermostat issues, one of the most frequent is having dead batteries. If that’s the case, the thermostat won’t power on. If you’ve noticed thermostat problems, you may need to replace the batteries for a quick fix. 

You could have had a breaker trip. All HVAC systems work with electrical components. Check the breaker, and if the switch got flipped, flip it back and see if that resolves the issue. That’s a problem that can happen at any time.

Pay attention to any minor problems that you can’t resolve fast. HVAC systems may have underlying issues. These may cause the transformer to stop sending voltages to the thermostat.

When that happens, you can check the safety switch located in the drain pan. When troubleshooting, if you notice a sensor has gone off, call your HVAC company to come and check it.

The safety switch is there to discover problems. It turns off when it detects high temperatures or excessive moisture. These switches work to keep HVAC systems from getting further damage.

Some thermostat problems mean it has reached the end of its life. Most thermostats last around ten years, so it may be time to get yours replaced. Your HVAC professional can tell you for sure.

HVAC Repairs

When you’ve tried the simple things, but your thermostat is still blank, you should call a pro. Since blank thermostat issues can mean problems with AC systems, a pro can help. Any performance issues need to get checked by a qualified technician. 

It could be that you are not comfortable checking into HVAC systems yourself. Anything beyond changing filters and batteries may be beyond your scope.

When things seem more technical, get a reliable company to come out and check things. HVAC systems can get complex and need the work of experienced technicians. 

If you don’t know what you’re doing, you must get someone who does. AC systems have many working parts, so you must be careful when dealing with them. Working with electricity can get dangerous and even cause death in some cases. 

AC Systems and Air Quality

When it comes to HVAC systems, all parts work together. Your thermostat controls the cooling of your home. Clean air reduces allergens and respiratory problems. 

If you’ve noticed blank thermostat issues, you should get them checked right away. Sometimes the solutions are easy, and you can take care of it yourself. If not, you need a trained technician who can get AC systems up and running like new again. 

If you’re having blank thermostat issues that you can’t fix, contact us today! We are here to help you, day or night.

What to Do About Water Leaks in HVAC Units

The average lifespan of an HVAC system is about fifteen to twenty years. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean yours will go that long without experiencing some technical difficulties. There are a wide variety of issues that could go wrong, including water leaks.  

One of the biggest concerns regarding this problem is that it can cause damage to other parts of your HVAC system, your electrical circuits, and any nearby appliances. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about HVAC water leaks and what you can do to fix them. Keep reading to learn more. 

How to Identify HVAC Water Leaks

If your HVAC is severely leaking, a pool of water will begin to form around it. As soon as you detect a leak, you should turn off your HVAC immediately. Then, contact a technician because they can figure out what is causing the leak and fix the issue right away. 

However, when the leak is so small, there may not be any visible signs to help you detect the problem. If you’ve noticed your electricity bill has increased, but you haven’t changed the thermostat, your HVAC might be leaking. Have an HVAC contractor run some tests on your system so that they can diagnose the problem. 

Subtle Signs of HVAC Water Leaks

Small leaks can be tricky to identify, but addressing them early can save you from bigger problems down the road. If your HVAC system is leaking, the signs may not always be obvious, so it’s important to pay attention to any changes in your system’s behavior. Here are some subtle indicators that your HVAC might be leaking:

• Unexplained Increase in Energy Bills – A leaky HVAC system forces the unit to work harder to maintain the desired temperature in your home. As a result, energy consumption spikes, leading to higher electricity bills. If you haven’t made any major changes to your thermostat settings or appliance usage, but your bills have suddenly increased, this could be a warning sign of a leak within the system.
• Poor Cooling Performance – If you notice that your home isn’t staying as cool as it should, despite the HVAC running normally, a leak may be the culprit. Water leaks can affect the system’s ability to cool your home efficiently by reducing the effectiveness of key components, like the evaporator coils. You may also experience uneven temperatures across different rooms, which is another sign that something’s wrong.
• Inconsistent Airflow – Leaks can restrict the flow of air through your HVAC system. You may notice that some vents in your home are blowing less air than others or that airflow has decreased overall. This inconsistency can be caused by a leak affecting the internal components of the system, reducing its ability to circulate air properly.
• Visible Condensation – While it’s normal for an HVAC system to produce condensation, excessive water buildup on the outside of the unit can indicate a problem. If you spot condensation pooling around the unit or moisture dripping from it, this might be a sign of a leak or a blocked drainpipe, both of which need immediate attention.
• Unusual Noises – Strange sounds like gurgling, bubbling, or hissing noises coming from your HVAC unit can signal water is trapped or moving where it shouldn’t be. These sounds often indicate air bubbles in water lines or excess water within the system, which can lead to damage if left unchecked.

If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to schedule an inspection as soon as possible. Ignoring small leaks can lead to larger, more expensive repairs down the line and even damage other parts of your home, such as walls or flooring. Preventative maintenance and timely repairs can keep your system running efficiently and extend its lifespan.

Common Causes of Water Leaks in HVAC Systems

The most common reason for HVAC unit leaks is a clogged drainpipe. It occurs because your HVAC pulls in the warm air from your house and removes the moisture before cooling it and sending it back out.

At this point, any dirt and debris will get removed as well. After a while, though, it will build up, preventing the moisture from escaping and causing it to leak out elsewhere in the system. 

Water leaks are another reason to keep an eye on your refrigerant levels. This substance ensures that the evaporator coils, which remove the moisture from the air, stay cold.\

When it runs low, the remaining refrigerant freezes the coils as a result of an overworked system. When you refill the refrigerant, the temperatures will go back to normal, and the frozen parts will melt, causing this increase in water to leak. 

The evaporator coils will also freeze if you fail to change out the air filters. When they get too dirty, the air can’t flow easily through the system. Similar to what happens with the refrigerant, it gets too cold around the evaporated coils causing them to ice over. 

Other causes of water leaks: 

• The temperature is too low – Running your HVAC system at extremely low temperatures can result in excess condensation, which the system may struggle to manage, leading to leaks.
• Rusted or cracked drain pan – The drain pan is designed to collect condensation and funnel it out of the system. However, if it becomes damaged or rusted over time, it can fail to hold the water, resulting in leaks around the unit.
• Clogged condensate pump – In systems with condensate pumps, blockages can prevent the pump from properly removing water from the system, causing a buildup that eventually leads to leaks.

Hire an HVAC Contractor to Help Take Care Of Your System 

Now that you know how to detect water leaks and the importance of catching them early, you can start properly maintaining yours to prevent this from becoming an issue in the future. The best way to prevent a leak from happening again is to get regular maintenance checks. 

When you need an HVAC service, contact Natal Air Conditioning. For over thirty years, we’ve helped homeowners keep their energy bills down by running maintenance checks, fixing current parts, and providing HVAC installations. Fill out our online form to schedule a service request or call us at 954-788-0099.

Equipment To Improve Indoor Air Quality

iWave-R Air Purifier

With technology installed in over 100,000 applications, iWave-R is the world’s first self-cleaning, no maintenance needlepoint bi-polar ionization generator designed specifically for treating air in residential duct A/C systems. As the air flows past the iWave-R, positive and negative ions actively purify the supply air, killing mold, bacteria and viruses in the coil and living space. The ionization process also reduces allergens, smoke and static electricity, as well as controlling odors (cooking, pet, VOCs) and other particles (no more sunbeams) in the air without creating ozone or any harmful byproducts.

• Patent-pending self-cleaning design ensures ongoing peak performance
• Needle point ionization actively treats air in the living space
• For duct systems up to 6 tons (2400 CFM)
• Easily installs in minutes in A/C system
• Universal voltage input – 24VAC to 240VAC!
• Universal mounting with magnets

Fresh-Aire UV

Fresh-Aire UV products protect your family or business, extend the life of your air system, and reduce energy and maintenance costs. Our products clean the air throughout your home or business because they are installed directly inside your central air system. Microbes and odors are eliminated as air cycles repeatedly through the system. Conventional filtration is effective against particulates, like dust, but has no effect on the other two thirds. Fresh-Aire UV light products, such as Blue-Tube UV, are proven to sterilize biological contaminants like mold, germs, and viruses in the air and on air system surfaces. 

• Whole-house UV light
• Activated Carbon Air Purifiers
• Sterilize biological contaminants like mold, germs, and viruses
• Residential and Commercial applications