How To Clean AC Coils

AC Blowing Hot Air: Your air conditioner unit is in full swing during the summer times. Even after cooling off with a pool party, you may still need to turn on your A/C because of the hot weather. There is no doubt air conditioners make our lives comfortable with there cool breeze during the hot and humid days. But what if your A/C blew hot air instead of the cool breeze we all expect?

Air conditioner blowing hot air is a common ac repair service call made by consumers. So when your AC blows hot air do not panic because its a common problem, especially during summers. This is why it is recommended by experts to get annual A/C tune-ups and regular maintenance, especially before summer. But this article is not about the importance of A/C tune-ups or maintenance, instead we will be focusing on the causes of hot air coming out of your A/C unit and ways to prevent it.

Air conditioner blowing hot air in most cases is something a HVAC tech can fix. If you have been noticing your air conditioner blowing warm or hot air, don’t panic instead turn your A/C unit off. Now that your A/C is off, you have two options. Either try to fix it yourself or call in an expert. If you would like to tackle the issue yourself then keep reading.

What causes the air conditioner to blow hot air?

There are several reasons why your air conditioner may be blowing hot air. Some reasons for your air conditioner blowing hot air include the following:

Improper settings

As per general settings, the air conditioner is attached to the thermostat, which is a connection to the furnace. Due to complex settings, it may often be tough for you to put the thermostat in the right settings and avoid inconvenience. You should be careful while adjusting the thermostat settings, to make sure that the system works properly avoiding excessive hot air from the system.

Clogged air filter

No. 1 reason of AC blowing hot air. Many air conditioner problems are often related to clogged air filters. Properly clean air filters will prevent the pollutants from circulating in your house. Moreover, they are designed to keep the coils functioning and clean. Clogged air filters and drain can be harmful as they will make the house air quality low. Moreover, they will put extreme pressure on the system, making it work harder.

These coils may eventually freeze, thereby preventing the house from cooling. As a result, you should prefer replacing air filters from time to time. These are inexpensive and easily available in the market. Undoubtedly, it is the basis of any home A/C maintenance. You can either change the clogged filters on your own or reach out to an expert. However, if you are doing it on your own, you need to be careful making sure you have the correct air filters.

If you get regular A/C maintenance done on your unit, new air filters are usually included. But just because you got new air filters with your last A/C maintenance does not mean they are going to stay clean until the next one. Depending on the air quality of your home and especially how often and what you cook at home can have a huge effect on the condition of your air filters. Another factor that plays into quickly dirty air filters is leaving the windows open. Depending on how much you leave your windows open and the type of dirt and debris that get in during that time frame, can have a huge effect on the lifespan of your air filters.

Power supply

Power disruptions are another common reason why your system will be malfunctioning. The condenser and compressor are the outdoor units of the central air conditioning system. The outdoor unit is usually on the ground or the roof. To ensure that the system is working properly, you need to keep a thorough check on the power.

If the connection is divided into two parts, there is a high probability that despite the air conditioner functioning, it won’t be cooling. Often people have a tough time determining the access to the power supply. Hence, if this is the root cause for your air conditioner system not running properly, you should reach out to a technician who can help you with the process. Nonetheless, you may as well get extra information from the user’s manual.

Freon

If you have an air conditioner in your house, more than likely you are aware of what freon is. But in case you don’t, freon is a refrigerant that flows from the compressor to the evaporator via a condenser. Often due to technical issues, the system may run out of freon. As a result, in such situations, your A/C will blow out hot air. In this case you will need to call in the professionals, unless you have freon, tools and experience of filling your A/C unit with the proper levels.

If your system has been running low on freon, it can cause severe problems to the rest of the A/C unit. You may not be able to fix this problem on your own, which is why you should be reaching out to professionals. If your A/C unit is in good condition and only requires freon then do not worry about it costing you an arm and a leg.

Evaporator coils

Evaporator coils, along with air filters, may also be one of the major reasons for A/C system blowing hot air. If the evaporator coil gets clogged due to dust and debris, it will prevent the cooling operation and will not cool the house eventually. It can restrict the motor from running and eventually there won’t be cool air but hot air around the house.

It is very common for the evaporator coils to freeze and if it is not taken care of properly, the problem can be serious. To fix this issue yourself, you need to first turn your A/C unit off and then proceed to cleaning them properly.

Maintenance and Prevention

It is often advised to take proper care of the system to avoid frequent breakdowns and increase the lifespan of your A/C unit. however often people fail to do so, which costs them money in the long run. You need to get a/c maintenance and tune-ups done regularly, to make sure that you can avoid the risk of your air conditioner blowing hot air or worse completely breaking down.

Some of the preventive maintenance that you should be doing of the a/c system include the following:

• Make sure that you change the air filters once every three months
• It is better to call professionals for a thorough inspection and maintenance of the system once every year. Generally, it is advised to do this before the beginning of summer to ensure that it works properly.
• Cleaning the coils on an annual basis.

If not taken care of, your air conditioner blowing hot air can turn to be a serious problem. Hence, if you notice it in the beginning, you should make sure to reach out to professionals. Proper air conditioner maintenance can help you stay cool throughout the summers.