Why is My AC Not Blowing Cold Air? Common Causes & Ways to Fix It

As we enter the summer months in Florida, it’s common to start testing out our air conditioning system for the first time in several months.

After adjusting the thermostat setting and powering it on, you might suddenly notice that no cold air is blowing from the air ducts and vents.

At this stage, you may ask, “Why isn’t my AC blowing cold air?”

The reality is that there could be any number of causes for the issue, including reducing or stopping the cool air from reaching your rooms. The potential problems could include a low refrigerant level, a thermostat issue, dirty coils, a blown fuse, a blocked or clogged air filter, or other electrical problems.

In most cases, it might be easier to call an AC repair service to diagnose the issue and get your air conditioner back up and running.

But if you want to troubleshoot the problem yourself, here is a brief guide to why your AC system is not blowing cold air.

1) Thermostat Problems

If your AC is not blowing cold air, your first stop should be to check your thermostat.

Your thermostat can sometimes malfunction or reset, messing up all of your cooling settings. Your AC thermostat can also need batteries or sometimes have a power supply problem. After replacing the batteries, the system may reset to default temperatures.

If you see the correct temperature displayed and the settings seem normal, you can likely rule out a thermostat issue.

2) Dirty Air Filter

The next step is to check the air filters of your air conditioner. Remove the filter from its slot and hold it up to the light.

If you can’t see light through the filter, you might have a dirty air filter. If the pleated sections are clearly full of dust or very dark in color, this is another sign of a dirty filter.

A clogged air filter will cause your system’s airflow to slow or even stop if not cleaned out.

The fastest way to determine if the air filter is preventing airflow is to replace it with a new AC filter and test the system again.

If you are not sure which AC filter is best for your home or ideal indoor air quality, simply ask your AC technician to guide you through the best options.

3) Refrigerant Leak

Refrigerant is a liquid or gas that creates cold air inside your air conditioning unit. It is not visible because it is inside the condenser coil or evaporator coil. Moving the refrigerant through the system converts warm air into cool air.

Testing for refrigerant leaks is best handled by an AC repair company, rather than by the homeowner. Any refrigerant leaks will produce moisture in or around the outdoor AC unit and are a good sign that you need an AC service. You may also have low refrigerant levels as a results of a leak, which an HVAC technician can diagnose and repair for you.

4) Evaporator Coil or Condenser Problem

If your evaporator coils have mold or mildew growing on them, or if they are freezing up, your air conditioner won’t work well. You may be able to see these coils if you remove the housing on your outdoor AC unit. However, they can be hard to access. You may need to check and see if the water pipes running to and from the unit feel particularly cold or frozen.

If nothing else is wrong with your AC, your condenser may have worn out. You can’t really check this on your own without specialized equipment, but you can call us and we will check it for you.

5) Clogged or Blocked Air Intakes and Registers

Very often, we don’t think that a problem with lack of cold air might be caused by something as simple as bloocked or clogged vents.

If you want to get to the bottom of the issue, it might be worth walking around your house and checking your air vents (also known as air registers). If these are blocked or clogged, your AC won’t cool well.

Very often, dust around the vent edges can be a sign of dust and debris inside the air conditioner, and may also signal the need for an AC duct cleaning.

You may not be able to see this, as clogs can also occur inside your HVAC ductwork.

Are you stuck with an air conditioner that isn’t cooling well? Hopefully these expert AC tips will help you diagnose the issue and get your home cool and comfortable again.

Call Vons Heating and Cooling on 904-282-8226 for air conditioning repairs if you can’t solve the cool air problem yourself. Our expert air conditioning technicians  will be there soon to diagnose the problem so you can have cool air again fast.