My Car AC is Not Blowing Cold Air

Summer isn’t over yet! Especially if you live in the southern portion of our country or other hot climates you are well aware that, although fall is approaching, the days at the beach or lake or not quite over! The summer sun actually stays quite hot well into the fall in most parts of the country, and even if you’ve had some cooler evenings lately, temperatures are likely to stay warmer for a few more weeks before the leaves change and fall really settles in.

With the warm temperatures still around it is important to keep your air conditioning system in good working condition. Your air conditioning system in your vehicle is an important part of keeping you comfortable but it also important to your safety. Most new cars automatically turn on the air conditioning system anytime you have your front window defroster on. The air conditioner in your vehicle cools the air your vehicle draws in from outside which also causes the moisture in the air to condense. That is why you see your car dripping water from near the firewall when the air conditioner is running on a warm humid day. When this cool air is reheated by your vehicle’s heater core it is warm and very dry which makes it ideal for removing condensation from the inside of your windshield. Having a properly working air conditioning system is important for your comfort, but also for your safety and ability to clear your windshield even in cooler months.

If you find your AC is not blowing cold air it is important to identify the problem with your AC system and fix it quickly for your comfort and your safety. One of the best indicators to help you discover the problem with your air conditioning system is whether it started blowing warm air quickly or if your air conditioning system started working less and less and overtime. In the fall, since you are likely not using your air conditioner every day, it can be difficult to tell if it stopped working all of the sudden or over time. Even if you don’t know the duration of the problem with your air conditioning system, the most likely cause for your air conditioning system malfunction is a refrigerant leak. The refrigerant used in cars and trucks today is a gas at atmospheric temperature and pressure and can leak out through even the smallest of openings or cracks. Also, since the air conditioning system in your car is mounted to a moving, vibrating vehicle that is exposed to the elements and road debris it is not unusual for hoses and lines to come lose or O-rings start to leak over time.

The complexity of your air conditioning system and the location of all the lines, hoses and equipment it can be difficult to discover where your refrigerant is actually leaking from. One option is to go to your local auto parts store and pick up an ultraviolet dye, an injector to get it into your air conditioning system and an ultraviolet light. You can inject the ultraviolet dye into the AC system and let the AC run for a few minutes. Then park your vehicle in a dark garage with all the lights off. Use the ultraviolet flash light to inspect all the connections, hoses, lines and all sections of the AC condenser and evaporator. The UV dye should have leaked out at the leak point and shown up under your flashlight. Now that you’ve discovered where the leak is you can go about replacing the damaged components.

A much simpler and less expensive option would simply be to seal the leak, no matter where it is and without having to find it first. Start by adding BlueDevil Red Angel AC Stop Leak to your air conditioning system either using the aerosol can with supplied coupler or the liquid stop leak and our AC oil injector. Once BlueDevil Red Angel AC stop leak is in your air conditioning system it will circulate with your refrigerant until it reaches the leak. The temperature differential at the leak will cause BlueDevil Red Angel to form a chemical weld at the leak sealing your air conditioning system quickly and permanently without any more effort from you! Once your leak is sealed simply refill your AC system with the proper amount of refrigerant and your vehicle is back to being safe and comfortable.