You probably aren’t thinking about your car’s air conditioner right now because the weather is colder outside. This being said, Peerless Automotive recommends you let us inspect and service your air conditioning system in the spring so it is ready for its summer job. There are many things that can go wrong with a car, truck, or utility vehicle’s air conditioner. A handful of these things will cause the AC to blow hot air instead of cold air. Let’s talk more about this below.
Damaged Condenser
The air conditioner condenser is located directly behind the grille. The condenser cools off hot refrigerant using a fan and air holes found in the condenser unit. As dirt and debris make their way through your vehicle’s grille, they can clog or damage the condenser. When this happens, the condenser is unable to cool off the hot refrigerant. Consequently, you end up with hot air instead of cold air blowing through your events because the refrigerant is still hot.
Malfunctioning Compressor
The compressor is the air conditioning part that compresses the refrigerant from its gas form into a liquid form. It then circulates the liquid through the air conditioning system. The air blows over the cold refrigerant to create the cold air that blows through the vents. One thing about the compressor is that it likes to work. In other words, the fact that it has sat unused for months can actually render it useless. A malfunctioning compressor will also blow hot air through the vents.
Malfunctioning Fan
As we mentioned above, the condenser uses a fan to help cool the hot refrigerant so that the air that blows through the vents is cold. If the fan is malfunctioning, the air flowing through the condenser may not be enough to reduce the refrigerant’s temperature. Consequently, you will end up with hot refrigerant and hot air. The fan might be malfunctioning because it needs to be replaced, or you may have an electrical problem in the air conditioning system.
Reduced Refrigerant Levels
Finally, your refrigerant levels will not be optimal forever. Over time, the refrigerant levels reduce because the refrigerant evaporates naturally. In some cases, the refrigerant will also leak out of the hose connectors when it is in its liquid form. If you don’t have enough refrigerant to cool the air, you will end up with hot air blowing through your vents.
Call Peerless Automotive in Olathe, KS, to schedule an appointment for an air conditioning system inspection. We will make sure your AC is not suffering from any of the problems listed above.