A short-cycling air conditioner is nothing to scoff at. In fact, if your air conditioner is starting to short-cycle, you could be about to experience one of the worst summer months ahead of you. Don’t worry, we’ll explain why.
Short-cycling is a phenomenon that occurs in many air conditions for a variety of different reasons. Unfortunately for homeowners in our area, none of those reasons are good. Simply put, if your air conditioner is running in short, frequent cycles over the course of a hot day, then something is definitely wrong.
Today, we’re going to put together a guide for homeowners to deal with short-cycling AC systems. We’ll talk about how you can notice if your system is doing that, while also mentioning a few solutions like air conditioning repair in Grand Rapids, MI, that you can start investing in. Our team is always available to help if you still have questions or concerns!
The Reasons for a Short-Cycling AC
As we mentioned above, short-cycling is never good and it’s almost always something that requires immediate attention. For starters, a short-cycling air conditioner is going to consume a lot more energy than one functioning normally, because the start-up part of the cooling process is the most energy-intensive part. It’s like running your car in a low gear on the highway, it’ll suck up too much gas and cause the engine to seize from being overheated.
Here are just a few reasons why your AC might start short-cycling:
- Refrigerant leak. Refrigerant leaks can cause an air conditioner to short-cycle for obvious reasons. Without such an important material being that the proper levels, the air conditioner is going to run the compressor in short, frequent cycles to meet the cooling demand. This is never good and a refrigerant recharge isn’t going to be the only solution—the leak has to be patched as well.
- Clogged air filter. When was the last time you replaced the air filter in your air conditioner? If it has been a while, then the system could be stifled and suffering from low airflow. This is most likely causing it to run more frequent cycles as it gobbles up more electricity and runs poorly.
- The system is overheating. An overheating air conditioner is going to abruptly shut down when it flips the safety switch. This could be causing your short-cycling problem and it’s not a good sign!
When the Solution Is a Repair
For a clogged air filter, a refrigerant leak, or an overheating system, repairs are going to be the best solution you can invest in. Our team will diagnose the problem and try to find a way to address the source of it, since short-cycling can cause a drain in your finances if left alone.
Sometimes the Solution Is Replacement
However, sometimes a short-cycling air conditioner can be the result of a botched installation. If it was sized incorrectly, or if refrigerant lines weren’t set up the way they should be, then your system could be beyond just a simple fix. In that case, we can walk you through affordable AC replacement options and ensure your home stays comfortable the right way.
Call GRmetro Heating and Cooling for comprehensive AC services you can count on!
