A short cycling air conditioner is a big issue, one that we always recommend homeowners call a professional to fix. The problem can be attributed to numerous different sources and the truth is that the fix can be anything from an air filter change to a whole system replacement. Until your air conditioner is properly inspected and diagnosed by a pro, you won’t really know for sure why it’s short cycling.
For anyone who might be new to this blog, or air conditioning in general, we’d like to welcome you! Short cycling is a very specific problem that many people might not be aware of, so we’d like to use this blog post to explain a bit about why this phenomenon occurs and how it can be fixed.
Just remember that if it seems like your AC is short cycling, you should call our team for AC repairs in Big Sky, MT.
What Is Short Cycling?
Short cycling is when your air conditioner runs in short, frequent bursts before shutting down. Even if your home gets cooled by your AC while it’s short cycling, that doesn’t mean it’s good.
Your air conditioner is designed to run in specific cycles so that it can accurately cool the amount of air it’s supposed to. These cycles can be 10-15 minutes long, give or take, and they’re what’s needed to run things efficiently. A regular cycle spreads stress equally among the components of the system, so that no part starts wearing down faster than the others.
A short cycling air conditioner, on the other hand, will start to break down quickly due to wear and tear on certain components responsible for starting and stopping the cooling cycle.
3 Common Reasons Behind Short Cycling
Here are three common answers behind a short cycling air conditioner. Take note that they’re listed from simplest to fix to the most complicated or expensive to have repaired.
- A clogged air filter. Clogged air filters can cause air conditioners to short cycle. Luckily, you can just replace your air filter yourself to try and stop this problem from happening!
- A refrigerant leak. A refrigerant leak can indeed cause a short cycling AC, and this is a bit more complicated than a clogged air filter. Your AC will require professional support to have the leak patched and the refrigerant recharged before the unit can run normally again.
- An oversized system. An air conditioner that’s too large for a home will short cycle and cause problems. This, unfortunately, can only be solved by an early system replacement. Consult with a professional to learn more about how to solve this problem.
Get Your Problems Diagnosed By a Pro
Unfortunately, the only true way to diagnose your short cycling air conditioner is with the help of a licensed professional. Only then will you be able to find out what’s causing it and have it fixed in a way that will help it last long into the future. Call our team and tell us about your short cycling system, and we promise we’ll get to work quickly to fix it.
Call Ambient Air Solutions to have your short cycling air conditioner repaired or replaced. Simplifying Heating & Cooling!
