We are in the peak of summer. The hottest most humid weather is upon us. But you’re not worried. You switch on your home’s central air conditioning system, stand in front of a vent and its blowing ... HOT AIR?!?!? Is that happening to you? Whatever you do, don’t panic! However, you have every right to be worried. This is definitely a sign that something is wrong. The trained men and women here at GAMA Air have experience in this type of situation, so we’re going to give our friends and neighbors that live in and around Beverly Hills, Culver City, Mar Vista, Miracle Mile, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Bel Air, Westwood, Downtown Los Angeles, Vernon, Huntington Park, Sherman Oaks, Encino a few things to look for.
First of all, is it truly hot air? Or is it just not as cold as you would like it to be. If your AC system has been off for a few days, and it is hot outside and inside, it may take 10 to 15 minutes before the air is nice and cool. However, you should be able to tell if this is the case because it will gradually be getting cooler.
If the air is actually hot, then something is really wrong. Shut off your system to avoid causing further damage. One of the following situations is likely happening. Check them one by one in order and follow the steps to suggested. However, if you need urgent attention, the don’t hesitate to call use at (323) 655-6126 to request a service call.
- Check the thermostat. You wouldn’t believe the number of times we’ve been called out to a customer’s home to fix their central cooling system only to realize that the thermostat was set wrong. So, make sure that it is in “Cool” mode and not “Heat” mode. Then make sure the temperature setting is lower than the temperature in the house. As a test, you could turn the temperature setting all the way down. If any of those settings was wrong, and you’ve now changed them. Turn the system back on and see if the AC starts cooling.
- Check the ductwork. It is possible that somehow the ductwork in the attic got pulled apart. This could result in your home’s central air conditioning system pulling extremely hot air from your attic, trying to cool it, and blowing it into your house. It doesn’t matter how good of an AC system you have, it can’t turn blistering hot air from the attic into nice cool air.
- What type of cooling system do you have? If none of the above steps are the problem, then we need to talk about the type of system installed in your home.
- Do you have a Heat Pump? If so, then there might be a problem with the reversing valve. This is a part on the outdoor unit that switches the operation of a Heat Pump from cooling mode to heating mode. It could be stuck in heating mode and operating like it would in the winter time. You will need to call your favorite Heating and AC repair company, and have a trained technician verify that this is the problem and perform the repair. This is not a do-it-yourself situation.
- Do you have a traditional Air Conditioner? If so, then there is no heating mode it can get stuck in. It is possible that all the refrigerant has leaked out and the compressor is overheating. This is also a serious situation that will need the attention of a trained and experienced HVAC technician.
Don’t hesitate to contact us. We are standing by ready to help. Call us at (310) 651-6936 or use our online form to schedule a visit. We guarantee your satisfaction 100%!
Do you have a question about a repair you think your central air system needs? Visit our “Ask an Expert” page, fill out the form, and the resident expert here at GAMA Air will respond quickly with the answer.