Among the most common and harmful problems of an air conditioner is known as short-cycling. This is a symptom of an issue and can also be the cause of a problem. There are times when a couple of simple adjustments are all you need to repair the issue. However, in a lot of cases, it requires professional repairs from an experienced and trained HVAC technician.
Short cycling should be fixed, and you should not neglect it. Otherwise, you might find yourself facing a premature requirement for your air conditioner and you will end up wasting energy and money subsequently.
You might have to call HVAC repair services too soon or too often depending on when you need it the most.
Facts About Short-cycling
The phase of short-cycling is what people in the HVAC field call a heat pump or air conditioner system that gets stuck in the start-up cycle, and it rapidly turns on and off. This happens even without completing a full cooling cycle.
Under circumstances, an air conditioning will power up the compressor and it runs until the thermostat will register that it has met the temperature requirement. The AC will then power down the compressor. However, when the system short-cycles, the compressor prematurely stops before the cooling cycle ends. When this happens, the compressor will work harder so it can do its job.
Causes of Short-cycling
Clogged Air Filters
When there are clogged air filters, the airflow is restricted and causes unit strain. A dusty and dirty air filter leads to several air conditioning issues and it is normally the first place an HVAC professional will check.
It leads to short-cycling problems when heat is unable to escape the HVAC system and cool air cannot get in, which tricks the system to think it is hotter indoors than it actually is. The air conditioner will turn on more often without cooling the home successfully.
Size of the Unit is Incorrect
If your furnace or air conditioner is too large for the ductwork in your home, it causes short cycling. An oversized furnace or air conditioner uses a lot of energy to cool or heat your home, which causes the distribution of conditioned air to be unequal. An uneven air conditioner makes the thermostat cool down or warm up quickly compared to other parts of your house. This causes your AC/furnace to frequently turn on and off in order to compensate.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
A frozen evaporator coil is a common cause of short cycling. Sometimes, air conditioners will freeze up while running because it is too cold outside, normally at night. Sometimes, freezing can be caused by a mechanical problem or a dirty air filter. You need to shut down your system, allowing it to completely thaw, then you need to run it again. If these coils freeze again, you need to call an HVAC contractor.
Low Refrigerant
Another reason that air conditioners will short cycle is because of low refrigerant levels. Refrigerant is the chemical that will cycle through the air conditioning system. It will remove the heat from inside your house and then get released outdoors.
Refrigerant should stay at a certain level, which is known as the charge. If there is a low-level charge, you must contact a professional if you want to add more refrigerant and address the reduced amount caused.
Poor Placement of Thermostat
If you have installed a new thermostat, you should be aware of how it is placed in your home. For instance, thermostats that are under direct sunlight, and close to heat-generating appliances, or vents can misread the actual temperature of your home.
You can call heating service repair Tysons Corner anytime for repairs.
