Hot or warm air blowing from your air conditioner on a hot summer day is the last thing you want to experience. Unfortunately, this is one of the most common issues to occur when the weather is at its hottest. There are many causes for this and you may be able to fix it on your own before calling professionals for help.

1. Thermostat set incorrectly – You’d be surprised at how often this happens. Make sure it isn’t set to “HEAT” or “ON”. If it is set to “ON” your fan will blow air even if your air conditioner is not cooling and that will cause warmer air to blow out. Make sure to set your thermostat to “COOL” and use the “AUTO” setting.

2. Outside unit clogged –Buildup of yard debris like dirt, grass clippings, leaves, twigs, and pet hair can affect the efficiency of your condenser coil which releases heat that has been absorbed from your home. As a result, the air cannot properly cool and you get warm air blowing through your vents. You can shut off the power to your system and use a stiff brush to gently clean the fins or you may need a deeper cleaning which will require professionals to help.

3.  Electrical issues with the outside unit  – Your inside unit can still be working even if your outside unit is not but without the outside unit functional you will feel warm air blowing through your vents. Check the circuit breaker to your outside unit to see if it got tripped. Flip the switch all the way off then back on. If your air conditioner continues to trip your breaker or if there are any wiring issues you will need to call a professional as there may be a serious electrical problem in your air conditioner.

4.  Problem with compressor on the outdoor unit  – Electrical failures, refrigerant coming back to the compressor or overheating are some things that can cause compressor malfunction. Without the compressor, the whole A/C unit will not operate properly. Since the compressor is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed problems with A/C units, we recommend having professionals confirm if it is the issue. Unfortunately, a failed compressor cannot be fixed, it can only be replaced.

5.  Low on refrigerant or refrigerant leak  – One of the most common causes of your A/C blowing warm air is the lack of refrigerant. There are numerous reasons why refrigerant could be leaking from the unit. Since refrigerants are dangerous it is best to call in professionals for help.

7. Return duct broke or disconnected – If your return duct is broken it can cause unconditioned air flow from the outside to the inside of your home. Since ducts can be hard to reach and fix we recommend professionals to handle your ducts. Find out about our ductwork here.

If you’re still having problems with your air conditioner blowing warm or hot air, let Right Now Air & Solar professionals help. Give us a call at (707) 240-8777 or request service here.