Your air conditioner in Palm Bay, FL should not really be running 24 hours a day, so the fact that it shuts down at some point does not mean that there is a problem. However, it should not be shutting down right after it starts up and begins cooling your home—or attempting too, anyway. This type of rapid on-and-off action is called “short cycling,” and it is a real problem. Not only does it suggest an existing problem with your AC, but it also leads to further problems.
Like so many other air conditioning problems, there are quite a few reasons as to why your air conditioner may begin to short cycle. The good news is that not all of them are terribly serious. The cause of the problem could be serious, though, so it is important that you get a proper diagnosis right away. We’ll figure out what the problem is, and we have a tip to help you rule out a simple fix right off the bat.
First, Check Your Air Filter
If your air filter is too dirty, then that may actually be the cause of your short cycling. When the air filter in your system is too dirty—remember, it should be changed every 1-3 months, depending upon conditions in your home—it creates a lot of airflow resistance. When that happens, the system can start to overheat. To prevent damage, it will cycle down. Simply changing a very dirty air filter may be enough to fix the problem.
If That’s Not Clearly the Problem, Call Us!
The dirty air filter is definitely the best case scenario when it comes to short cycling with your air conditioner. You could have problems with your thermostat reading temperatures inaccurately. You could even have a refrigerant leak in your system, making it work much harder than it should to transfer heat out of your home.
The bottom line is that ignoring any signs of trouble with your AC can, in almost every case, result in serious damages. Don’t let that happen in your home.
Schedule your AC repairs with Next Generation Air & Heat, Inc.
