AC Blowing Warm Air? Here Is What It Means

Check these first

These take a few minutes and sometimes solve it.

• Make sure the thermostat is set to Cool and the temperature is set below the room temperature.
• Look at the air filter. A clogged filter chokes airflow and can make the system blow warm.
• Check your electrical panel for a tripped breaker. Some systems have one for the outdoor unit and one for the indoor unit.
• Go outside and see whether the outdoor unit is running and the fan is spinning. Clear leaves and debris around it.
• Make sure the vents and return grilles in the house are open and not blocked.

Common causes of warm air

When the quick checks do not help, it is usually one of these.

• A failed capacitor. The outdoor unit hums or clicks, or the fan or compressor will not start. This is a common, often same-visit repair.
• Low refrigerant. Refrigerant is not used up, so a low charge means a leak that needs to be found and fixed.
• A dirty or frozen indoor coil that cannot pull heat out of your home's air.
• A compressor that is failing or has stopped.
• Leaking, disconnected or undersized ductwork that lets cooled air escape before it reaches the rooms.
• A thermostat or control problem that is not telling the system to cool.

What to do right now

• If you see ice on the indoor unit or the refrigerant lines, turn the AC off and set the fan to On so the ice can melt. Running the system while it is frozen can damage the compressor.
• If you smell burning, hear loud grinding, or the breaker keeps tripping, turn the system off at the thermostat and call us.
• Do not add refrigerant yourself. It takes a licensed technician, and topping off without fixing the leak only buys a little time.

When to call Cool Guys

If the air is still warm after the quick checks, call us. A technician diagnoses the actual problem and gives you the price before any work begins. The dispatch fee is $49 and it is waived with any repair. If the system turns out to be at the end of its life, we will show you the repair and a replacement option side by side. Replacement estimates are always free.