When a portable air conditioner fails to blow cold air, certain components of the unit are either dirty or are not working properly, which hinders the cooling cycle.
The reason people invest in an air conditioner for their homes is for the purpose of having a system that will cool their space and maintain cool, consistent temperatures when the outside weather feels nearly unbearable and extremely uncomfortable.
It is possible for a unit to run into some issues, one of which is the unit not cooling. Portable units can run into this problem sometimes and if yours does the same thing, it is important that you find out why it is not blowing cool.
Portable air conditioner cooling
Portable air conditioners remove moisture and heat from a room in order to blow cool air into the space. Warm air goes through a refrigerant cycle where it is turned into cooler air after passing through the refrigerant.
In most cases where a portable air conditioner is no longer blowing cool air, something is wrong, so it is important that you identify the problem, as this will help with getting the issue fixed and the unit working again.
Why is my portable air conditioner not blowing cold air?
If you find that when you switch on your portable air conditioner, it is not blowing cold air after a while of it being on, then there is likely a problem with the unit.
A number of possible issues can cause a portable AC to not blow cold air, and some are easier to figure out than others.
Either way, a unit that is not blowing cold air can be a problem for the occupants of a space, as temperatures can reach extremes and make a space uncomfortable.
A portable air conditioner may not be blowing cool air because some of its internal components are dirty or are not in the right working condition. These could be the air filters of the unit that are clogged up with dirt and debris that is restricting airflow.
Clean the filters using a vacuum, or by scrubbing the filters carefully with a soft brush under lukewarm water
Alternatively, it could be that the coils have frozen up due to infrequent condensate draining and limited airflow, which could also be the result of a dirty air filter. Frozen evaporator coils will certainly hinder the unit from blowing cold air.
The best way to prevent your air filter from freezing is to clean your filters regularly using a soft brush and lukewarm water, and to clean your coils using a coil cleaner.
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In other cases, a portable unit with a low refrigerant charge could be the cause of the air conditioner not blowing cold air.
Refrigerant is the cooling agent inside all air conditioners through which air is passed and cooled in order for it to be released back into the room. Refrigerant only ever runs low when it is leaking or if the refrigerant lines are frozen.
Temperature setting is higher than the room temperature
Sometimes, a portable air conditioner may not be cooling because the temperature has been set higher than the room’s temperature, which essentially means the unit is heating rather than cooling the room.
This is a mistake that can easily happen, and to fix it, you need to verify that the thermostat is set to Cool mode.
Check the room temperature at the time, then lower the temperature setting on the unit one degree at a time until you start feeling the cooler air making a difference in the room’s overall temperature.
You can confirm this by measuring the temperature of the room with a thermometer, like this bestselling ThermoPro TP50 Digital Meter, which will also tell you the humidity levels and other information about your space, to see how close the room is to the desired temperature that you have set.
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Check if the fan speed is set
If the fan has stopped blowing at the rate that air is supposed to be produced and felt, this could be another reason why the unit is not blowing cold air. Check that the fan speed is set high enough for the unit to blow cold air in cooling mode.
The unit’s fan blades may also be too dirty, and dirt build-up may be weighing the blades down, which makes it more difficult for them to spin. In this case, it will be helpful to clean the blades where necessary.
Check the exhaust hose for ventilation issues
In order for the portable AC to cool effectively, it needs to vent heat properly through the AC unit’s exhaust hose.
Heat that is extracted from the inside of the room must be vented outside and the space is cooled through the condensing process via the coils and refrigerant.
If the unit does not vent properly, then the heat extracted in the cooling process will be retained in and around the unit, and the air in the room will, in turn, be warmed and not cooled.
Furthermore, it is important to check that the hose is always straight and not bent, that it is not blocked or leaking air at the joints due to cracks and holes.