Why Is My AC Not Blowing Cold Air?

An air conditioner can stop blowing cold air for a variety of different reasons. Through the air conditioner repair in Fort Collins, you can diagnose the problem and get the AC repair help you are looking for. To learn more about this common problem, read on. 

What Causes an Air Conditioner to Stop Blowing Cold Air? 

If your air conditioner isn’t blowing cold air, it likely needs some type of AC maintenance or repairs. In general, this issue is caused by one of the following problems. 

1. Dirty Condenser or Evaporator Coils 

For your AC to work properly, it needs to have clean coils. Over time, the condenser and evaporator coils can become dirty and stop working properly. 

Evaporator coils are especially likely to become dusty if your air filter isn’t changed on time. If the evaporator coils get dirty enough, it can cause your air conditioner to freeze.

Luckily, this emergency AC repair can be handled quickly. Once the HVAC technician cleans the coils, your air conditioner should be able to blow cold air again.

2. Problems With Your Thermostat

If your thermostat is malfunctioning, your system won’t be able to tell when it should kick on or off. Fortunately, this problem may be as easy as changing the settings on your thermostat. 

Alternatively, you may need to do a little AC maintenance to get your thermostat in working order. Clean off the sensors because they might be dusty. If that doesn’t work, you can check the user manual to find out how to reset the thermostat.

3. Leaking or Low Refrigerant 

In addition to blowing warm air, leaky refrigerant will generally cause a hissing noise as well. You may also develop frozen evaporator coils. Refrigerant can be potentially hazardous, so it’s important to call for the best air conditioner repair Fort Collins offers to get it fixed. Additionally, you should always turn off your AC if there is a refrigerant leak in your home.

4. Blocked or Clogged Registers 

The vents and registers are responsible for delivering cold air into each room. If they are blocked, nothing will come out. Sometimes, furniture and potted plants may accidentally be placed in front of a vent.

5. Dirty Filters 

According to the manufacturer’s directions, air filters should be cleaned every 30 to 90 days. However, this timeline may need to be shorter if you live with pets, someone who smokes, or in an especially polluted area. 

If the air filter does get excessively dirty, it can affect the airflow and cause the evaporator coil to get dirty. As a result, your air conditioner may freeze and stop blowing cold air.

6. Clogged Drain Lines

A condensate drain line is supposed to help humidity leave your home. If it gets clogged by dirt, mold, and debris, the moisture can’t drain properly. While this will initially cause problems with short cycling, it can eventually cause the entire system to shut down. 

Normally, the condensate drain line is dealt with during an AC tune-up. If you’re having problems in between visits, you can clean out the drain line to fix the issue.

7. Ice Buildup

If your AC is frozen, you need to call for the top air conditioner repair Fort Collins offers. Ice buildup often occurs because of a dirty evaporator coil, but it can also happen because of low refrigerant and other issues. 

Frozen ACs and ice buildup are more likely to occur when the AC is working the most. Because of this, you’ll likely need to call for emergency AC repair to keep your home from becoming uncomfortably hot. 

While you wait for the HVAC technician to arrive, leave the AC off. Let it thaw naturally because scraping ice off can damage delicate parts.

8. Tripped Circuit Breakers

Most air conditioners have both indoor and outdoor breakers. If the outside breaker is tripped, your system will still run but only blow warm air. You can troubleshoot this problem by flipping the breaker. If it immediately trips again, you need to call for professional AC tune-up and repair services. 

9. Leaky Ducts 

Over the years, your ducts can separate from the air vents. If you have a duct leak, the cold air may not be making it all the way to where it is supposed to go. Instead, it ends up in your attic or wherever the ducts are placed.

10. Clogged Outdoor AC Units

On a regular basis, you should clean the area around your outdoor AC units to remove any dust, dirt, plants, and twigs. If this debris builds up, it can cause your AC to work harder than it is supposed to. As a result, it may start blowing warm air. Fortunately, a little AC maintenance is all you need to get it working again.

11. A Badly Functioning Compressor

If your compressor isn’t working, the rest of your AC won’t work either. You may also notice shaky noises and moisture around your unit. Replacing a compressor is fairly complicated, so it’s important to get professional air conditioning repair in Fort Collins to handle this job.

What to Do If Your Air Conditioner Is Blowing Warm Air?

When your air conditioner is blowing warm air, it is important to schedule an AC repair appointment. This type of problem can develop because of many situations, so it can be difficult to diagnose on your own. With the help of the most reliable air conditioner repair Fort Collins offers, you can get your AC inspected and repaired right away. 
To learn more about how Balance Point can help, reach out to one of our experienced team members today.