Why Is My Air Conditioner Blowing Hot Air?

On a hot day, it can be more than a little concerning when you retreat indoors, and your AC is blowing hot air instead of cooling you down.

While this may seem concerning, there are usually a handful of simple explanations for this, most of which are easily addressed.

As a first step, do you engage in any preventative maintenance with your AC? Spending a few minutes on a monthly basis inspecting and managing your system can help prevent problems before they start.

Here are some reasons to consider why your air conditioner is blowing hot air.

A Refrigerant Leak

If your AC unit doesn’t have the right levels of coolant, it won’t blow cool air. Sometimes, whether from wear and tear or if there is a defect in one of the components, the refrigerant can leak out.

This can be hard to diagnose because it happens quite quickly. To be sure, book an appointment with a professional to get your fluid levels checked and your unit inspected.

Your Air Conditioner is Frozen

Yes, it is possible for your air conditioner to freeze.

This tends to happen if you turn your thermostat down too low too quickly, which is tempting when it is scorching hot outside.

Resist the urge to do so and keep it steady at 72°F, and you won’t run into this problem.

If your AC is indeed frozen, you have to turn it off and wait for it to thaw out.

This could take up to a couple of hours, so be prepared to wait.

Double Check Thermostat Settings

To ensure that your air conditioner is doing what you want, make sure that your thermostat is on the right setting- cool.

Don’t leave it on auto, or obviously on heat. It won’t cool your home.

Tripping Breakers

No question, the high heat of summer in Las Vegas puts extra pressure on the power grid and in your own home.

Sometimes your air conditioner gets caught in a power surge, and the breaker flips in a protective measure.

You simply have to put it back in the right position to get it working again.