It is truly amazing what some homeowners will convince themselves of if the alternative is simply dealing with a problem that they’d rather ignore. You may not know the term “short cycling,” but there’s a chance that you’ve encountered the problem yourself and that you’ve turned a blind eye to it. Unfortunately, doing so can have some pretty serious ramifications for your air conditioner in Westlake, OH. We’ll get into those problems and potential causes of short cycling below.
We’ll also offer up one explanation for the problem that can actually be resolved by the homeowners themselves. Typically, any problem with your air conditioner is going to demand professional attention. If the solution to the problem is not obvious, as in this one specific case, then it is time to call in a qualified technician. Ours are the ones that you want on your side when your AC goes south. We diagnose problems accurately the first time, and we fix them completely.
What Exactly Does Short Cycling Mean?
Great question. It’s just what it sounds like. Your air conditioner is literally operating in short cycles. Air conditioners don’t come on, blast cold air for a moment or two, then cycle back down. They are designed to run in full, even cycles—and problems develop when they don’t. If your system is starting up just fine but then shutting back down after just a brief run, then it is short cycling.
Why Be Concerned?
Well, it’s kind of annoying, I suppose, but is short cycling really that big of a problem?
Yes. Yes it is. Why?
Because, first of all, it wastes a lot of energy. It takes more power to start a system up than to keep it running. When your AC short cycles, and starts over and over, your system is going to burn through more energy than it otherwise would. That drives up your energy costs. Even worse, though, is the fact that you’re going to be paying more for less comfort. That’s a pretty lousy deal, if you ask us.
When your system short cycles, it just won’t cool your home as effectively as it otherwise would. It also won’t dehumidify the air to the extent that it normally does. Trust us, you want your system running optimally when the summer heat is at its worst.
Why Does It Happen?
There are a few reasons why your air conditioner might short cycle. The first is the one that you want to encounter, relatively speaking. It’s a dirty air filter. This is what we meant when we said there is one solution to the problem that you can handle on your own. If your filter is very dirty, then your system can start to overheat and will shut down to protect itself.
You might also have a faulty run capacitor, though, or even a refrigerant leak. Diagnosing the underlying problem accurately is important if you really want to get your system back on track with minimal damages.
Schedule your AC services with Westland Heating & Air Conditioning.
