Short cycling is one of the more common problems that can afflict an air conditioning system. It describes when an AC becomes locked into its start-up cycle so that it rapidly turns the compressor on and off without completing its normal cooling cycle. This will mean poor comfort in a house because the system won’t stay on long enough to distribute cool air, and it will also jack up electrical bills and place immense stress on the components, especially the compressor. Short cycling is usually a symptom of several different troubles in an air conditioner, and they need to be solved as soon as possible.
Replacement is one—but not the only—option
Short-cycling is a serious malfunction for an air conditioner, and there are times when it means the AC must be replaced. For example, short cycling is sometimes the result of an air conditioner that is too large for the space it’s supposed to cool down. This often happens because of non-professional installation that doesn’t take into account the cooling load necessary for comfort in a home. If an oversized air conditioner is the reason for short cycling, the only solution is to have it replaced with a less powerful air conditioner. Make sure that skilled professionals handle the job so that this time you’ll end up with a properly sized AC.
Less drastic repairs
Other possible sources of short-cycling won’t require replacing the entire air conditioning system. Loss of refrigerant is often behind short-cycling, and technicians can quickly take care of sealing up the refrigerant leaks and then replacing the refrigerant that was lost. Another possible source of the problem is dirt along the outdoor condenser coil or ice along the evaporator coil. A clogged air filter or broken thermostat could also be responsible. You can trust to professional HVAC technician to fix all these problems quickly and correctly.
Call JW Plumbing, Heating and Air when you need air conditioning repairs or a new installation.