One of the most frustrating things that could happen in your home is to have your A/C unit blow hot air when you need it to cool you down. Before you search home a/c repair near me, try these tips.
This might not be a big deal in the cooler months, but it can make your life miserable in the summer. Sweaty skin and damp clothing aren’t acceptable unless you’re in the gym or you’ve been soaked by rain. Even then, no one likes to be sweaty, especially in their own home or business.
Your A/C and You
If you’re like most people in Texas, your A/C unit is your best friend. The temperature of your home or business is one of the first things you notice when you enter. Not surprisingly, when your A/C unit blows hot air, it has the power to disrupt your life in a significant way. One that can leave you clawing at your skin and trying to find any source of cool air for comfort—but please don’t stand in front of the fridge.
There is a high possibility that your A/C unit can be repaired and cool your home with the help of a skilled technician. It needs to be heating and cooling, but now, you need the cooling more than ever.
How Do You Know When Your A/C Isn’t Working Right?
The first and most tell-tale sign of a malfunctioning A/C unit is when it blows hot air when it should be cooling. As frustrating as this can be, your A/C unit blowing hot air might not be the only issue you may face. Like all other electronic devices and equipment, your unit is vulnerable to glitches every now and then that can vary from minor to serious.
A good A/C technician can troubleshoot and repair almost all issues. It’s best to always have a reliable technician’s contact information on hand to get advice and guidance when needed for your air conditioners.
Checks You Can Make Yourself
Before you call the HVAC techs when your A/C is blowing hot air, you need to ensure that the issue isn’t something you can fix on your own. Your technician won’t mind coming to you to repair your unit because you have to pay him for his time, but a good one will want to know you get VALUE for your money. He wouldn’t want you to spend when you don’t have to.
Check to make sure the unit is on the right setting and that it isn’t stuck in the wrong mode. Your batteries might be dead, or you might not be pointing the remote to the unit properly.
Quick and easy checks can be the difference in whether you spend a lot of money or no money at all. Take the time and check. If all these fail, the following is your only option.
When To Call The Technician
If you’ve done all the basic checks and your A/C unit still blows hot air in cool mode, it is definitely recommended to call your A/C repair technician to get the issue resolved for you. It makes no sense to waste any more time and be uncomfortable in the sweltering heat.
What Might Be The Issue
Wrong Thermostat Setting
You’ve done everything you’ve been told to do but your HVAC unit is still blowing hot air on cool. You’re out of options, so the HVAC technician is in the building to solve your HVAC problems. Don’t tear your hair out and don’t scream.
One of the first things the technician will check for is whether your A/C unit’s thermostat is on the right setting. You might be shouting that you’re not an idiot and that you were sure to check your thermostat, but you’d be surprised to know how many persons overlook this.
It can be that you weren’t paying attention or you just didn’t know what to look for. The technician will ensure that the unit is on ‘cool’ and that it is set to utilize the fan when blowing air.
Clogged Condenser Coils
The condenser coil is the part of your HVAC unit that is outdoors in split systems. This collects the heat from the air in your property using refrigerant, a liquid/gas, and sends it outdoors. This is the main function of the condenser unit, but if you should give it some thought, you’ll realize that this is a big deal. Without this, your unit cannot work effectively. It is essentially useless.
Over time, the cooling process can cause the condenser coil to become clogged with dust and other particles. Because the environment in the condenser coil is damp, it is easy for dust to collect. Air filters can help to minimize this, but they have to be changed often and the HVAC unit needs to be maintained per the manufacturer’s standards. An experienced technician can easily clean your condenser coil and have your unit up and running in no time.
Dirty Evaporator Coil
Constant use of your HVAC system will result in air being passed through your evaporator coil on a regular basis. The coil can become dirty and contaminated when the air filter in your A/C unit is dirty and blocked. If your evaporator coil is dirty, the air cannot be properly filtered and cooled and your unit cannot do its job.
One of the tell-tale signs of issues with your evaporator coil is a weird odor coming from your HVAC unit. Of course, there is also the unit blowing hot air. A unit with a dirty air filter needs to be cleaned immediately.
Outside Unit Has No Power
Let’s face it, we all know that HVAC systems use more power than other electronic equipment in the home. You know this because you see the figures on your electricity bills each month. With so much power involved, it’s easy to see how issues can arise.
One of the most common issues to query when your HVAC unit is blowing hot air is if the outside unit has no power. The fastest way to see if this is the cause of your issue is to check the circuit breaker and see if it is shut off. If it isn’t, your technician will check if any of the switches are tripped or if a fuse is broken. Once the problem is found, it is relatively easy to repair once you have a skilled technician on hand.
Low Refrigerant
As mentioned above, your HVAC unit’s refrigerant is essentially a liquid/gas that absorbs heat, and with the help of a compressor and evaporator, it releases the heat outdoors and cools or ‘refrigerates’ the air and sends it back indoors. It is the core of the air conditioning and refrigeration process.
When your HVAC unit is low or out of refrigerant, there is no way for it to provide air conditioning, so the unit will blow hot air. One of the common signs of low refrigerant is when ice forms on the inside or outside pieces of your HVAC unit.
What To Expect From The Technician
Having access to a skilled HVAC technician is a valuable asset to any property owner. He should be someone trustworthy and with a good reputation, so you can be sure that he will do the job well and at the best possible cost.
When your A/C unit blows hot air on cool, your HVAC technician will ask you questions such as: how long has it been malfunctioning, did you check the batteries and the mode it is in, etc. If you’ve already done these, he will go on to troubleshoot and check on all the things listed above.
Bear in mind, the HVAC technician will not only tell you what is wrong with your unit when he finds the problem. He will be prepared to fix the unit and make suggestions to maintain it. The technician will also search for any other issue that might hinder his implemented remedies.
For example, with refrigerant issues, he will ensure that the unit is not experiencing a refrigerant leak before he adds more refrigerant. Often, A leak is one reason the refrigerant is low and that has to be repaired before more is added or the issue will return in the future.
Caring For Your Repaired A/C Unit
Before your technician leaves, be sure to ask him what you could’ve done to prevent your A/C from blowing hot air. Many times, simple maintenance of the HVAC unit can prevent the buildup of dust and other particles.
Your technician might suggest scheduling regular servicing and changing your air filters every six weeks. He might also tell you what signs to look out for before something goes bad. This way, you can preempt some issues and troubleshoot them on your own. Clean your unit often and ensure the condenser unit has the required space between it and other objects for proper ventilation.
Be Cool!
Your A/C unit blowing hot air is frustrating but it is not the end of the world. Knowing what to look out for will give you the confidence you need to check what is wrong with your HVAC unit. If you are unable to fix the issue on your own, a reliable HVAC technician will get it running smoothly for you.
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