Top 4 Reasons Why my AC System is Not Blowing Cold Air

Your home's air conditioning system is one of the largest home appliance investments you will ever make.

Today, we are going to go over some of the reasons why your air conditioning system has stopped blowing cold air, as well as some ways to keep your system running efficiently for longer and protect your investment! As always, if you are not familiar with the workings on an AC system, it's always best to call the pros at Dallas Heating and Air Conditioning for all of your AC repair needs.

Let's begin by exploring some of those issues and hopefully this will educate our valued homeowners, and shed some light on the importance of keeping your air conditioner in top form.

Faulty Capacitors

Many HVAC companies around the Dallas area receive calls from a frustrated home owners where they think their system has died, is so old that it needs replacing. That is not always the case.

The compressor in your air conditioning system's outside unit needs to be supplied with a jolt of power when it starts up as well as subsequent jolts to keep running. This jolt of power comes from a capacitor located near the compressor in the outside unit.

A capacitor stores energy, similar to a rechargeable battery, so when it is time for the compressor to start, the capacitor sends over this additional power. The two main reasons to cause a capacitor to fail are heat and power surges - in Texas summers, unfortunately we get those in spades.

Replacing a burned out capacitor is a straight forward job, and we can usually repair your system in about an hour - assuming that's the only issue preventing your system from working. You can breathe a sigh of relief when having to pay for a new capacitor instead of a whole new system!

Dirty Air Filters Can Block Air Flow

Another common issue we see all the time is one of the easiest items for a homeowner to address is a dirty air filter. Air filters are designed to block dust and dirt from being cycled through your home. Over time, so much debris accumulates in this filter, the air flow is reduced, to the point where the system can no longer move air.

It's in your best interest to not only change your air filter monthly, but consider upgrading to a better filter choice! Air filter replacements are a part of any HVAC maintenance program, but it is also something that you as a homeowner can make sure happens every month, again protecting your investment.

Thermostat and Cooling Switch Issues

The thermostat is connected to the AC system and determines when it should run or stop. If it's and older model, it can be prone to either being out of calibration or basic malfunctions as it is just like any other device in your home and could be subject to failure at any given moment. Having a professional technician come out and properly diagnose any thermostat malfunctions tends to be one of the rather simpler solutions when air conditioners begin blowing less cold air.

If you have an older thermostat, you may want to consider an upgrade to a new "smart" thermostat. The technology in these not only allows you to program the system for your custom needs, it also helps you to save money by operating the system more efficiently. Ask us about the new smart thermostats.

Dirty Condenser Coils

In the outside unit, there are large coils around the edge of your enclosure. These condenser coils are where the heat from your home is eliminated through a fan forcing the heat off of the coils as the refrigerant attracts the heat, transfers it through copper tubing to the condenser, and as it weaves its way through that coil, the fan rushes across the surface to dissipate the heat.

It is important that these condensing coils be keep flushed out with water every few months to ensure that any debris is not blocking the air flow. If you have trees which drop lots of pollen, small leaves, cotton etc, they could all clog up the tiny fins and prevent the unit from cooling the refrigerant, thus your system blows less cold air! You should have a full inspection of the condenser coil, and condensing fan motor twice a year for maximum cooling capacity from your system on those days that it is needed the most.

There you have it - some of the more frequent situations where your air conditioner will tell you that there is a problem by blowing less cold air. This is where a residential HVAC maintenance plan from the team of professionals here at Dallas Heating and Air Conditioning can literally pay for itself.

When you implement a maintenance agreement, our professional service technicians will check for all of these issues, and more. This can alert you to the need of replacing small inexpensive parts before they catastrophically fail leading to your displeasure as well as an expensive air conditioner repair invoice.

Our team will take the time to present to you the pros and cons of the needed repair during an annual air conditioner maintenance inspection and no work will be done until you say okay! An HVAC maintenance agreement puts you in total control of each HVAC dollar spent in your household.