Efficiency is the most remarkable thing about your heat pump. You certainly don’t want anything to take that awesome energy-saving ability away from it! But many problems that a heat pump can encounter will reduce its efficiency dramatically if you don’t have it repaired. Short cycling is a heat pump problem that wastes a huge amount of energy. Here’s some info about short cycling and how to remedy it.
Issues that Cause Short Cycling
Short cycling is simply the cooling cycle of your heat pump being cut short, only to start again moments later. This happens when the limit switch is triggered, forcing a shutdown. Why would that happen? From overheating.
There could be an electrical or mechanical issue causing a component such as the blower fan motor to get too hot, something like worn motor bearings grinding and creating extra friction, or the wrong amperage of power being drawn.
Or it could be as simple as excess dust. A clogged air filter will reduce the amount of air that’s pulled through the system. Without fresh air coming in quickly enough, the little bit of heat created by the motor will build up until the limit switch flips.
Issues that Short Cycling Causes
Short cycling isn’t just a symptom of one problem. It is also the cause of more problems! The sharp increase in energy consumption is one of them, because the highest-energy-use part of the cycle is the startup. Doing that several times more frequently uses a ridiculous amount of energy.
But constant starting and stopping also puts a lot of pressure on the most vital and expensive component of your heat pump: the compressor. You don’t want to cause any damage to that! You could dramatically shorten the lifespan of your heat pump.
How to Remedy Short Cycling
Your first step should be to check on the air filter. This should generally be changed once a month during the times of the year when your heat pump is used the most. During spring and fall, with less frequent use, you can change it a little less frequently.
But if there’s some source of extra dust, even if you changed the air filter less than a month ago, it could have become clogged. This could be renovations in your home, major seasonal cleaning stirring up undisturbed dusty corners, pets shedding heavily, nearby construction, or anything else that puts a higher concentration of particles into the air.
Some air filters can be washed, dried, and reused. Some are disposable and need to be swapped out for fresh ones. You might be able to solve your own problem with hardly any fuss. But if the short cycling continues when you know your air filter is clean, it’s time for some attention from a professional HVAC technician.
Whatever the problem is—an electrical issue, worn bearings, lack of lubrication, or excess dust inside the air conditioner itself—your reliable heat pump expert can determine the root cause and get it fixed for you before you end up with sky-high bills and a broken-down compressor. So if you notice short cycling, get heat pump repair in Covington, LA right away.
When you need it done right, contact Professional Heating & Air.