There are some problems homeowners encounter with their air conditioning systems that don’t really exhibit much in the way of symptoms. That is often why air conditioners wind up seriously damaged—homeowners don’t realize what’s going on, and then they schedule repairs only when trouble is already well underway. In some cases, though, the symptoms encountered are obvious. This is definitely the case with an air conditioner that is blowing warm air. Even then, however, some homeowners defer service.
That is precisely why “good enough” is never good enough when it comes to your air conditioner and its cooling output. The last thing that you want is to put up with a subpar AC performance, only to arrive at a point where costly repairs that could have been avoided with prompt action are needed. Today, we’re going to talk about some reasons why you may run into an AC that is blowing warm air—and why it may not always mean you need air conditioning repair in Milton, GA.
You Might Just Need to Reset the Thermostat
“That doesn’t make sense! It’s not like the system isn’t coming on at all because I’ve got the heater set, or because the target temperature is too high. It’s blowing air—but it’s warm!”
It may still be the result of an improperly set thermostat, though. How? Well, there is a “fan-only” setting on most systems. And if you have got the fan turned on, the system will blow air. However, it will fail to cool the air that it is blowing throughout your home. That can give you the illusion of a faulty AC when really you just need to switch it over to the right setting.
You Might Have a Refrigerant Leak
This is the most serious cause of the problem. Refrigerant is literally what allows your air conditioner to cool the air in your home. More specifically, the evaporating and condensing of refrigerant allows for the cooling of your home. The refrigerant evaporates in the indoor coil, drawing heat out of the air in your home. Then, the refrigerant is condensed in the outdoor coil. That allows heat to be released.
If you have a low refrigerant charge, however, then you’ll notice that your system is not cooling your home as effectively as it normally does. Not only that, but you’ll probably notice that your energy costs are climbing. This is due to the added strain on the system caused by the refrigerant leak. If you ignore the problem long enough, the compressor can fail in such a way that replacement is the most viable option.
You Might Have Leaky Ducts
Have you noticed that your indoor air quality is on the decline, along with your system’s cooling ability? Or that some areas of your home are perfectly comfortable, while others aren’t? In such cases, duct leaks are entirely likely.
The leaks in your ducts can let heat in from unconditioned spaces in the house. Then that heat is distributed throughout the house via the ductwork meant for delivering cool, comfortable air!