When it comes to your air conditioning system, there are several things that can go wrong on any given day. One issue that can be incredibly detrimental to your entire system is a problem called short cycling. Understanding what causes short cycling to happen is one of the best ways to help you avoid it in the first place. Steve’s Heating and Air is here to talk about what short cycling is and what usually causes it to happen.

Is Short Cycling Bad for AC?

Short cycling is a problem for many households. If you have noticed that your AC system is constantly turning on only to turn off a short time after over and over again, you could be dealing with a short cycling issue. If your AC system does not have the ability to run through a full cooling cycle it can take years off of your unit. The process is starting up and shutting down over and over again puts a lot of undo wear and tear your air conditioning system.

What Causes an AC to Short Cycle?

There is more than one reason why your AC system might be short cycling. Following are some of the more common causes of this problem:
– Dirty Air Filter: it is vital to your unit that you replace your air filter on a regular basis. If your unit isn’t getting the air flow that it needs to function, it can cause much bigger issues including short cycling. You should be replacing your AC filter every one to two months. At the very least, it is something that needs to be checked every month.
– Dirty Evaporator Coils: the evaporator coils inside your unit are responsible for removing the heat from the air in your home. If these coils are covered in ice or dirt, they are unable to do their job. When this happens, short cycling is often one the issues you will run into.
– Low Refrigerant: You are AC unit needs to have a certain amount of refrigerant inside the system to function properly. Since the system is a closed system, you should not have to replace that refrigerant unless there is a leak. If you are low on refrigerant short cycling is often one of the first signs.
– Oversized/Undersized AC Unit: You need to make sure that the air conditioning unit in your home is the right size for the square footage that you have. If you have a unit that is too small or too large, it can have an impact on your overall comfort level. Aside from being uncomfortable, you will also more than likely experience short cycling.

Central Air Conditioning Preventive Maintenance Tune Up, Emergency Repair, Replacement & More in Sumrall, Purvis, Oak Grove, Dixie, Richton, Columbia, Lumberton, Petal & Hattiesburg MS & Pine Belt, Mississippi

If you have noticed that you are AC is turning on only to turn off a short time after, you are more than likely dealing with a short cycling issue. If you do not get the problem resolves, it will put a significant amount of wear and tear on your system. At Steve’s Heating & Air, we will diagnose the issue and get it quickly resolved. Call us today!