A central air conditioning system is something you have so you can have a cool house in the summer. If the system is working correctly, you should feel comfortable in your home. There are times, though, when a central AC system will only blow hot air. Why does this happen? What would cause this to occur? If your system is blowing hot air, here are the three leading causes.

Your Thermostat Is Not Set Properly

As silly as it might sound, you should always check your thermostat before calling an AC repair company when it's blowing hot air instead of cold air. If your thermostat is not set properly, the AC system might not be on. Your thermostat should be set to "cool." If it is set to "auto" or "heat," it will blow warm air instead of cold air. If this is the case, change the setting to see if this solves the problem.

You Have a Frozen Compressor

The second cause of this problem is a frozen compressor. The compressor is an essential part of your AC system. It is responsible for transferring the coolant through the system, and this refrigerant extracts heat from the air. A compressor cannot perform well if it is frozen, though. If you look at your system and see ice on it, you probably have a frozen compressor.

A compressor freezes for several reasons, but the most common cause is from a lack of airflow. Without the proper airflow, ice will form on the device. You may have a restriction of airflow due to a dirty air filter in the system. You may also have a limitation of airflow from dirt within the system.

You may also have a frozen compressor from low coolant levels in the system. If there is not enough coolant, it typically causes ice to form on this part of the system.

There Is a Problem with the Fan

A third reason your system is blowing hot air could be due to a problem with the fan. If the fan is not working correctly, it will not be able to transfer conditioned air to your home. Instead, hot air will blow through the system.

There are additional reasons that can lead to a system blowing hot air. If you would like to find out what the problem is and get it fixed, contact a company that offers air conditioning repair services.