There are few things more frustrating on a hot Maryland afternoon than turning on your air conditioning and getting a face full of warm air. The good news is that the cause is usually straightforward once you know what to look for. Here's what's actually going on.
Why is my car's AC blowing warm air?
Nine times out of ten, an AC that blows warm is low on refrigerant. Your car's AC is a sealed system, so if it's low, it's because refrigerant is escaping somewhere, which means there's a leak. That's the part that matters: the warm air is a symptom, and the leak is the actual problem to solve.
Can't I just get it recharged?
You can, and on a system with a slow leak a recharge might buy you a few weeks. But the refrigerant that leaked out once will leak out again, so a recharge on a leaking system is money down the drain. The fix that lasts is finding and sealing the leak first, then recharging to the correct level. When we service an AC system, we check the pressures and test for leaks before adding anything, so you're not paying twice for the same problem.
What else can cause warm air?
Refrigerant is the usual suspect, but not the only one. A few others we check for:
- A failing or seized AC compressor
- An electrical fault or blown fuse in the AC circuit
- A stuck blend door sending warm air instead of cold
- A clogged condenser or cabin air filter choking airflow
Because the fix for a leak is completely different from the fix for a dead compressor, we diagnose the actual cause before we quote you anything.
What does an AC repair cost?
It depends entirely on the cause. A minor leak and recharge sits at the lower end; a compressor replacement is a bigger job. Either way, we'll show you what we found and give you an honest estimate before we do the work, no surprises when you come to pick the car up.