Short Cycling: The Reason Why Your Air Conditioner Keeps Turning On and Off
Have you been noticing that your air conditioner has been shutting off and on too frequently? If your air conditioner is turning off and on every few seconds or minutes, you have a short cycling problem on your hand. If not corrected, short cycling can wear out your compressor leading to an expense you don’t want to deal with—like replacing your entire unit. Getting a professional air conditioning service in Apollo Beach, FL is a must once this is discovered. In this article, we’ll discuss what short cycling is and the most common causes of short cycling.
What is Short Cycling?
Short cycling occurs when your air conditioner stops cooling your home prematurely and starts back up again soon after. When this is happening too rapidly, your system needs to be repaired by a specialist. It may not be obvious why your air conditioner is short cycling initially because there could be multiple reasons why this is happening. The most common reasons are:
Oversized Air Conditioner
An air conditioner that is too large for your home will cool your house pretty quickly but a combination of cooling too fast and shutting off too quickly increases your electrical bill, causes your home to feel too damp or too humid, and can wear out some of the parts of your unit too soon. Your solution is to have a heat load calculation to determine whether your air conditioner is too big
Thermostat problems
Your air conditioner gets its orders from your thermostat. If the thermostat is malfunctioning or located in the wrong place such as in direct sunlight, for example, it can signal your compressor to turn on and off prematurely. The solution is to replace or relocate your thermostat.
Dirty Air Filter
Failing to keep an air filter clean will limit airflow and can cause the evaporator coil to freeze. Once this happens, your unit will shut on and off too frequently. The solution to your problem is prevention. Keep your filters clean or replaced regularly. If evaporator coils are frozen, a professional will need to make repairs.
Refrigerant leaks
A short cycle is often a telltale sign of a refrigerant leak. A refrigerant leak is a coolant that flows through your system helping to absorb heat while cooling down your home. If the refrigerant is too low, the coils may freeze and your compressor may be affected as well. The solution to your problem is to have a specialist repair the leaks immediately.
Act Fast!
Short cycling can wear out the components of your air conditioner and leave you with an expensive electric bill. Hesitating to remedy these issues mentioned above only leads to bigger, more expensive problems down the road. Schedule an Apollo Beach air conditioning service today.
To schedule an air conditioning installation in Apollo Beach, FL please fill out our service request form or give us a call at 813-685-2665.