When you air conditioner turns on, you expect to feel cool comfort in a short amount of time. But what do you do if your AC turns on and just barely starts to produce cool air before shutting off? What you may be experiencing is known as short cycling.
When your air conditioner experiences shortened cooling cycles, it isn’t because your system is just cooling things off faster. In fact, it is the exact opposite. Short cycling is a problem that should be responded to by scheduling air conditioner repair in Columbia, SC.
Here’s what you need to know.
What Short Cycling Means
Short cycling is a term used to described shortened or interrupted cooling cycles from your AC system. This is a sign that something is either hindering the absorption of warm air in the system or causing the system or overheat. The end result is that your AC is going to be unable to complete its cooling cycle which will negatively impact your home comfort, your energy bills, and the longevity of your system too.
What May Cause a Short Cycling AC Unit
If your air conditioner is starting to short cycle, you may want to know what is causin the problem and if it there is something that you can do to fix the issue. Here are some causes for this problem that may be impacting your AC:
- Your evaporator coil is dirty. Your evaporator coil is responsible to assisting in the absorption of heat into your refrigerant supply. If the coil is coated in debris though, it will make it harder to get this job done and create cool air. Eventually, possibly to protect itself from overheating in some cases, your AC will shut down before it actually finishes the cooling cycle.
- You have a refrigerant leak. Another possible cause of short cycling is that you have a refrigerant leak. This can make it harder or even impossible for your AC to function. If the system has lost enough refrigerant it may not run at all until this issue is addressed.
- The thermostat isn’t reading temperatures properly. Your thermostat tells your AC when to turn on and how long to run until the temperature in your home is adjusted properly. However, if the thermostat isn’t reading the temperatures correctly, it can lead to your AC shutting off early.
- The air filter is too dirty. Yes, your air filter can get dirty enough to cause your AC to malfunction. If a filter is too clogged with dust it will hinder airflow into your air conditioner and cause it to short cycle. Thankfully, this last one is an easy fix: just change out that filter!
Our Team Offers Expect Repairs
Aside from air filter changes, you don’t want to try your hand at any repairs to your air conditioner. The majority of repair needs for your air conditioner should be handler by trained professionals like ours.
If your air conditioner is short cycling or exhibiting other problems, make sure to contact Fulmer Heating & Cooling for repairs.