You turn on your AC to cool the house down one afternoon and you notice that it shuts off somewhat sooner than usual. Then it starts back up again. And shuts off shortly after. This seems like a strange new pattern to you and you would be right in viewing it this way. What you are noticing is called short cycling.
These shortened cooling cycles aren’t normal and they most certainly aren’t a sign that your air conditioner is just “cooling things off really fast.” This is actually a sign that your system is having trouble and needs an air conditioning repair in Tampa, FL.
What is Short Cycling?
Short cycling is a term used to describe shortened or interrupted cooling cycles. Your air conditioner is supposed to turn on, run an average cooling cycle of up to 15 minutes (during which it pulls hot air into the system), transfer the heat in the air out of the house via refrigerant, and then push the now cool air into your home. If something is wrong with this process, it may cause your system to shut down prematurely.
Why is Short Cycling a Problem?
So you have shorter cooling cycles—what’s the big deal? Well, the reality of this is that it will mess with your comfort and drive your energy bills up. That means you will be less comfortable but paying more money. Doesn’t sound like the best deal, right? On top of this, short cycling is very stressful for your air conditioner. In fact, if short cycling goes on for too long it can lead to expensive repairs or even an early replacement.
Why is My AC Doing This?
As we mentioned above, short cycling can be caused by anything that interrupts the cooling cycle process. Here are some potential causes:
- Poor airflow due to an overly dirty air filter is slowing down the transfer of heat into the refrigerant in the system, causing it extra stress.
- There is a miscalibration in your thermostat leading to an incorrect temperature reading.
- Your AC has a refrigerant leak that is allowing this substance to escape, leading to a problem with the cooling process.
- There is an overload on the circuit your AC is on, causing it to trip.
- The air conditioner is the wrong size, leading it to overproduced or underproduce cool air and causing the system to shut down due to extra strain.
We Can Help Cool Things Off Again
So, if your air conditioner is short cycling, what do you do? We’d advise against making a DIY attempt to find a solution yourself as this can actually worsen the issue. Instead, your best option is to reach out to a professional technician like the ones at IERNA’s Heating & Cooling to get the main issue identified and repaired.
Our repair services are comprehensive and effective. You can trust that we will always leave your AC in the best condition possible
Contact IERNA’s Heating & Cooling to learn more or to schedule your air conditioning system repair.