You just got home from your morning run and the heat really kicked up while you were out. When you get into the house your first stop is your thermostat so you can get the air conditioner running and start cooling things off before your home turns into a sauna.
You hear your system turn on, and you breathe a sigh of relief as you step into the shower. However, when you get out of the shower less than 10 minutes later you notice things still feel just as warm as before…and your AC isn’t running. Just then, you hear it kick back on. That isn’t normal, you think to yourself, and you are correct!
Short cycling is a serious problem for your AC system and your comfort. When you notice this problem, you should schedule an AC repair in Palmyra, VA quickly. Let us tell you why.
What Is Short Cycling?
Short cycling is a problem that your air conditioner may encounter when it isn’t able to complete a full cooling cycle. The average cooling cycle is about 15 minutes in length so if you notice your system is only running for 10 minutes or less, it is likely that it is short cycling.
Because short cycling means your AC isn’t fully completing a cooling cycle it is going to inhibit your home comfort as it will take much longer to cool things down. Along with this, short cycling puts major stress on your AC and will hike up your energy bills too!
What Causes Short Cycling?
So what is it that causes short cycling, you may ask. We are happy to tell you! There is more than one issue that can lead to this cooling cycle interruption including:
- Low airflow: If your air conditioner is having problems with its fans or a clogged filter that is inhibiting airflow, it might start to short cycle.
- A thermostat issue: Some AC issues originate with the thermostat. If your thermostat isn’t accurately picking up on the temperature in your home, it can cut off your AC’s cooling cycle too soon.
- A dirty evaporator coil: Dirt and debris entering your air conditioner is never good. If the evaporator coil in your system is covered in dirt, it won’t be able to effectively cool the air being blown over it which can cause short cycling.
- Other problems: Maybe it is an outdoor unit that needs to be cleared of debris so it can properly vent heat, or perhaps it is due to frayed electrical components causing your system to overheat and shut down for safety. Whatever the cause, short cycling is an indicator of a bigger problem that needs to be resolved ASAP.
When your air conditioning system starts to short cycle or exhibits any other types of problems, you don’t want to ignore it. Instead, you should reach out for professional repairs as soon as you can to ensure your home comfort all summer long.
We can’t control the weather outside of your home, but we can control the weather inside your home. Contact Mack Morris Heating & Air Conditioning to schedule your repairs.