Nothing But Hot Air?

August on the Suncoast means school is back in session – and the sizzling summer heat has hit its stride. This time of year, air conditioning is a critical necessity. There’s nothing worse than trying to cool down in your home and escape the sweltering temperatures only to find warm air blowing from your vents.

In the spirit of school bells ringing, we thought we’d provide a valuable service and educate you on ways to troubleshoot your cooling system when it’s giving you nothing but hot air.

Check the Stat
If your thermostat needs new batteries, replace them. If the blower fan is set to ON instead of AUTO, it runs all the time – not just during a cooling cycle. In between cooling cycles, the air you feel from the vents can be warm. Also, ensure the fan is set to AUTO and the COOL setting is selected at your comfortable temperature. If your thermostat is set to heat… well, expect hot air.

Breaker, Breaker
Both the indoor and outdoor components of your HVAC must have power to deliver that beautiful cool air into your home. If the power supply is interrupted for either, it will cause warm air to blow from the vents. Check your electrical panel to verify the breakers for your system have not tripped and reset them if needed.

Filter Fresh
With a dirty filter, the airconditioner cannot properly move air through your home, causing your A/C to blow warm air. Take a look at your air filter to ensure it is clean. If it’s dirty, replace it with a new, clean filter to see if the warm air issue resolves. We recommend setting a monthly reminder to check the condition of your air filter.

Coil Concerns
Your cooling system has two sets of coils, the evaporator coil inside the HVAC unit and the condenser coil outside. The evaporator coil is close to your air filter and picks up heat from your indoor air. A dirty filter can mean a dirty evaporator coil, which impedes air flow and pushes warm air into your home. You outside coil A visual inspection can determine if your outside condenser coil is dirty or full of debris. We recommend maintaining a minimum 2-foot clearance around the outdoor condenser unit at all times.

Low Refrigerant
Refrigerant absorbs heat to keep your treated air cool and crisp. If it’s low, your condenser isn’t able to cool any air that comes into it, thus the reason you have warm air. Refrigerant is a toxic substance and should never be handled by anyone but a trained HVAC professional.

The Badger Bottom Line
Be sure to give your cooling system the care and attention it deserves. If your unit needs to be replaced, now is the right time with our New A/C Guarantee. You can get the A/C system of your choice, 0% financing for up to 5 years, plus a 10-year warranty on parts and labor, and a 10-year maintenance plan. Give us a call to learn more!