My Air Conditioner Is Blowing Hot Air
If your air conditioner is blowing air but the air isn't cooling, this can be something as frustrating as a malfunction in your outdoor unit or as simple as a tripped circuit breaker. Repairing or replacing your air conditioner can be expensive, so before you call someone out to investigate, see if you can't find the source of the problem yourself.
Reset The Circuit
As a safety feature, a circuit will often break when there is more power running through the circuit than it is designed to handle. However, there's also a chance this can happen when the load on the circuit is fine. If your ac is blowing warm air, the problem most likely lies in your outdoor unit, so before you get started troubleshooting the unit's parts, make sure it's getting power at all first.
Turn off your air conditioner at the thermostat, then go to your circuit panel to reset the breaker. Wait at least 60 seconds, then turn on the air conditioner at the thermostat again. It may take up to ten minutes to turn off after being reset this way.
This shouldn't happen often, but if it does, you may need to call an electrician, as there could be something wrong with the circuit itself.
Replace Your Air Filter
If you haven't replaced your air filter in a while, take a look at it to see how dirty it is. A very dirty filter heavily restricts air flow, which in turn restricts how much air can be cooled. Dust from the filter can also collect on the air conditioner coil, which will cause the coil to freeze up and become ineffective.
Check Your Refrigerant Lines
Your air conditioner may work properly, but if your refrigerant levels are low or nonexistent, it won't be able to cool anything. While a professional should typically take care of refilling your refrigerant, you can check the hoses for any signs of leaks that might indicate why you're out. Alternatively, if you haven't had your outdoor unit serviced in many years, you may have simply run out. If so, you'll need a professional repairman, like those at McKinney Heating & Air Conditioning, to refill your refrigerant and possibly repair any damaged lines.
Clean Your Outdoor Unit
If your outdoor unit doesn't get enough airflow, it can overheat. Most units will shut down automatically to prevent any damage from occurring. To prevent this overheating, make sure the outdoor unit doesn't have any debris or tools blocking it. While it is safe for you to clean off the unit itself with a hose, make sure the unit is turned off and disconnected from its power source first, and avoid using high pressure settings on your hose.
Reset Your Air Conditioner
If your air conditioner overheats or has another malfunction, you can fix many of these problems by pressing or flipping the reset switch on your outdoor unit. Not all units have these, so if it's not visible on the unit or on the box connecting it to its power source, check your manual for alternative options. If you don't have a copy, don't worry; search your model number online to find an online version of your manual or other instructions.