If the A/C in your home repeatedly cycles on for short periods, then cycles off again, you're dealing with a problem known as short cycling that can have costly and discomforting consequences.
Understanding Short Cycling
Under normal conditions, your air conditioner should cycle on, stay running until the thermostat's temperature setting is satisfied, then cycle off. After the temperature drops again, the cycle repeats. Generally speaking, you can expect two to three, 15—20-minute cycles per hour.
If your A/C starts up, runs briefly, then shuts off again within just a few minutes, it can't cool down your living space to a comfortable temperature or remove humidity effectively. These frequent, brief cycles also waste energy, and put added strain and wear on your cooling equipment so it's more likely to break down or fail prematurely.
Causes and Solutions for Short Cycling
Some causes of inefficient A/C cycling are easy to fix on your own, while others need an expert diagnosis and solution:
- Clogged air filter. If you haven't changed the air filter recently and it's become clogged with dust and debris, it may be cutting off crucial system airflow. If so, putting in a fresh filter regularly may be all that's necessary to solve and prevent future cycling issues.
- Dirty evaporator coil. A buildup of debris on the cooling coil will inhibit the heat transfer process resulting in inefficient, shorter run cycles. Scheduling preventive maintenance and coil cleaning annually should get the problem resolved.
- Low refrigerant level. A leak that's letting coolant escape can have a similar adverse effect on the system's airflow and cause cycling problems. To improve your system's performance, your HVAC technician will need to find/fix the leak and recharge the refrigerant level.
- Oversized equipment. An older A/C that's not sized accurately can have too much capacity to cool efficiently and effectively. The best solution for this situation is having your HVAC professional perform a detailed load calculation to determine the correct capacity for new equipment.
For expert help solving a short cycling A/C problem in your Fort Wayne home, contact us at Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 260-376-2961.