Summer is a time for enjoying the great outdoors. Unfortunately, it also means enduring scorching weather. For many of us, escaping the summer heat is as easy as flipping on the air conditioner.
Unfortunately, not all air conditioners work flawlessly. Sometimes your AC will short cycle and won’t stop doing it no matter how many times you shut it off and restart the system.
What is short cycling, and why does it happen? We have the answers. This article covers everything you need to know. Keep reading to find out more.
Dirty Air Filters
When air filters become clogged, they do not allow air to circulate freely throughout the system. This prevents the system from reaching its desired temperature setting, causing it to continuously cycle on and off. The more clogged the filter is, the harder the system has to work to reach the temperature setting, and the more likely it is to short cycle.
Dirty air filters also reduce the efficiency of the air conditioning system, resulting in higher energy bills. By properly maintaining air filters, you can increase the efficiency of your air conditioning system and help reduce the chances of it cycling.
Improper Refrigerant Levels
When there is not enough refrigerant deposited in the system, the AC isn’t able to effectively absorb heat from the air around it. This causes the AC unit to quickly reach its desired temperature and switch off. As the AC unit can’t reach its desired temperature the AC has stopped cooling, causing the AC to short cycle.
This reduces the efficiency of the AC as well as increases the amount of energy it needs to operate. Improper refrigerant levels also often cause the AC to freeze up due to the lack of an evaporator creating damaging ice buildup, which can then be further complicated by refrigerant line blockages. If improper refrigerant levels aren’t identified and corrected quickly, the AC unit can suffer irreparable damage.
Clogged Condensate Drain Lines
Air conditioner short cycling is the process of the AC system rapidly turning on and off, preventing it from running for the optimal amount of time. This is caused by the buildup of water in the AC’s condensate drain line.
The condensate line is a vital part of an ACs maintenance because it removes the excess water that is produced from the condensation of the air in the system. Due to those impurities, the line can get clogged, leaving the AC unit with nowhere to expel the condensate.
Eventually, the water will back up and cause the unit to shut off as a safety precaution. This prevents it from running for the ideal amount of time, resulting in quick cycling. Therefore, in order to prevent cycling, it’s important to always keep the condensate line clean and free of clogs. Read the air duct cleaning guide for instructions.
Avoid Short Cycling Today
Short cycling is a common problem with air conditioners and can be caused by several issues. In conclusion, it is important to diagnose and remedy any underlying issues causing this to keep your AC system running efficiently and effectively. If you are having trouble identifying the issue, contact a local HVAC professional for help.
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