Short Cycling Systems

Short cycling can happen with your air conditioning or heat pump system. Your air conditioning or heat pump systems have built in operations which enable them to turn on and off as required to meet your needs. These meet normal cycling. When your system short cycles it cannot meet your cooling and dehumidifying requirements.

What is Short Cycling?

Your system is short cycling if it is turning on and off too often and not completing it’s normal cycles. This causes your system to overwork and thus cause it to use more energy. This will cost you more in energy bills and can ultimately lead to it’s not functioning.

Reasons Why an Air Conditioner Short Cycles?

There are many reasons your system might short cycle. These are the most common reasons:

• A clogged air filter. This is a very common issue and easy to resolve if caught before any damage to your system. Change the Air Filter. Change it every three months or every month if you have pets or high traffic.
  • A system that is low on refrigerant, leaking refrigerant. Your system will over work itself and can overheat. If it overheats, it will shut down. Damage to your system can occur.
  • Sensors or control board issues. If you have these issues, it may cause the system to shut down at inappropriate times.
  • Your system is not the correct size for your application. A system that is too large can send blasts of cool air, then shut off too soon repeating the process over and over. If the system is too small to handle the load it can overheat trying to keep up. This can happen with additions, etc.
  • Your coil is frozen up. Frozen coils will not allow proper heat transfer so the heat cannot be removed from your home and can cause short cycling.

What to Do About a Short Cycling Air Conditioner?

Proper Maintenance is the best solution for short cycling. A trained technician will test all your systems, analyze the results and make any necessary adjustments. This needs to be done every year- the Fall for your heating system and the Spring for your Air Conditioning system.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you experience short cycling, check your air filters and change them. If that does not solve the problem, it is best to contact your professional HVAC company to prevent any further damage to your system. Air Doctor Heating and Air is here to assist you with any and all your HVAC needs.