You’ve probably heard us talk about a short cycling AC a few times on this blog. It’s a serious issue that is not nearly widespread enough in terms of awareness. That’s okay, we’ll take this head-on, one blog post at a time!
Today, we’re going to talk about short cycling. We’ll discuss what it is, why it happens, and why it’s so important to get it fixed when you notice it. Sometimes it can be due to something simple like a refrigerant leak, and other times it’s a lot more complicated and requires very precise HVAC work. Thankfully, the team here at Professional Heating & Air specializes in air conditioning repair in Mandeville, LA, and we’ll get to work quickly to remedy your problem.
Keep reading to learn more about short cycling, the cooling process, and where you can help your system run more effectively.
What Is Short Cycling?
A short cycling air conditioner is something you’ve probably heard before but you didn’t know it when you were listening to it. This occurs when an air conditioner simply turns on for a brief period of time, before shutting back down abruptly. Air conditioning systems can short cycle multiple times per day, which leads to way more activity than a normally functioning air conditioning system.
Short cycling is basically a more stressed-out, abrupt version of the cooling cycle, and it can be caused by multiple different problems. The important thing is that you should notice if you have a short cycling air conditioning system.
A short cycling AC can be detected through high energy bills from inefficiency, the sound of it turning on and off frequently, expensive and frequent repairs from worn-out parts, or a refrigerant leak.
Why Short Cycling Happens
Short cycling is a problem but a symptom of other problems as well. Think of it this way–short cycling can be caused by something else, but it’s also going to cause additional problems in kind of an avalanche of issues. Here are some causes of short cycling.
- A clogged air filter. If your air filter gets clogged up, it’s going to stifle the airflow throughout your system. Thus, it’s going to overheat when it can’t keep running, cool down, and try the process over again through short cycles.
- A refrigerant leak. Without proper refrigerant levels, an air conditioner will try to compensate and run short cycles.
- An incorrectly sized AC. If your air conditioner is too large for your home, it’s going to cool the space too quickly and abruptly shut down before it ideally should.
Do You Need Repairs or Replacement?
For the first two problems we mentioned, you can definitely call our team for fast repairs. We’ve encountered short cycling air conditioners before and we have the tools and expertise to get them back on track.
However, for other issues like an incorrectly sized air conditioner, there’s very little that we can “fix.” You might need to invest in a replacement.
In need of high quality AC services? When you need it done right call Professional Heating & Air.