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“Why Is My AC Short Cycling?”

This is a common question, and one that is very relevant to our industry. A short cycling air conditioner is a bad thing to run into, but many people just don’t know why. As your local professional, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to explain why a short cycling AC is so bad, and what you can do about it.

Short cycling is a specific type of AC functionality that excessively wears down certain components. Unfortunately, it’s not the kind of problem where there’s one solution, since it’s both a problem on its own and a symptom of other problems. The issue needs to be properly diagnosed by a professional in order for it to be completely fixed.

Don’t stress! Luckily, you’ve got the Seaside Air Services team to give you AC repair or AC replacement in Wellington, FL when you need it. Let’s talk about your short cycling air conditioner and figure out what needs to be done.

Everything to Know About Short Cycling

In order for us to properly explain the solution to a short cycling air conditioner, we need to talk about what short cycling is exactly. A short cycling AC is a system that’s running in short, frequent bursts that heavily stress the interior components of the unit. By not completing a full cooling cycle, the air conditioner is abruptly stopping before it should be, and this can be detrimental for a whole host of reasons.

Unfortunately, the solution isn’t simple. First, we need to diagnose the cause of the short cycling, and here are a few of the most common reasons this issue comes up.

A Clogged Air Filter

When your air conditioner’s air filter gets too clogged, it can cause a stifling of airflow throughout the system and the unit will overheat. An overheating air conditioner will immediately shut down before cooling demands are met, and as soon as the system cools down it will abruptly turn back on again. This is incredibly stressful on the startup and shut down components of the system.

A Refrigerant Leak

When an air conditioner doesn’t have the normal amount of refrigerant, it’s going to have trouble running efficiently or effectively. This can cause the system to run in short cycles because the lowered refrigerant level will cycle through the system faster. Unfortunately, this is a big problem because the unit will be unable to cool the air properly and you might feel the difference or notice a higher energy bill.

An Oversized AC

An air conditioner needs to be properly sized for the space it’s going to cool. If it’s not, then it’s going to run erratically. An air conditioner that’s too large will cool the air too quickly and it will need to shut down abruptly once temperature demands are met. This is stressful on the components of the system and will likely lead to an early replacement.

Regardless of whether the solution is a quick repair, or the replacement of the entire system, our team can figure it out.

Call Seaside Air Services today to learn more about our thorough air conditioning services.

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