Air conditioners work in cycles. Did you know that?
Each time the compressor pushes refrigerant through the system, it creates cooled air in what’s known as an air conditioner cycle. This cycle keeps all the parts working in order and allows for stress to be distributed equally among all the parts so that it doesn’t run into any problems. The moment this cycle is disturbed or cut off, some components may take damage or a lot of force that they shouldn’t have to. Just like when you slam on the breaks in a car that’s driving, eventually your breaks will give out and the stopping stress will cause other compounding issues to take place. Treat your air conditioner like you would a muscle car in your garage.
Luckily, our HVAC service in Shreveport can help you get to the bottom of your cycling problem. Give us a call and keep reading!
Short-Cycling
This is a term you might not have heard before. Don’t worry, it’s not your fault—terms like these tend to come up frequently only in the HVAC industry. Short-cycling is when an air conditioner doesn’t complete a full cycle. This could be from a multitude of reasons, but the problem remains that an air conditioner should always wind down just as it wound up. If it’s constantly turning on and off, or having hard stops that are noisy and uncomfortable, there’s something seriously wrong.
Here are just some of a few causes that prompt short-cycling problems.
- Improperly sized AC. When an air conditioner is initially installed, it must be sized for your home. This is a process called “load calculation” where a professional technician calculates the amount of air volume your new AC will have to cool. If this process is skipped by an amateur or performed incorrectly, you could end up with an AC that’s the wrong size. It will then start short-cycling as it tries and fails to cool your home down.
- Refrigerant leak. When refrigerant runs low, the same cooling cycle that your AC does on a regular basis is not going to cut it. It’s going to have to run short, fast cycles in order to keep up. This will damage the system and eventually lead to an early retirement.
- Clogged air filter. Air filters need to be changed out every 1–3 months. When this goes undone, your AC can get stifled and the airflow into it could be restricted. This will cause it to run a short-cycle in order to keep up with cooling demands.
- Electrical problems. Short, abrupt cycle ends could be caused by an electrical issue in your home. We highly recommend getting this checked out by a professional, since that electrical problem could be affecting other appliances, wasting energy, and also could be a safety hazard.
Right the Wrong
Chances are if your air conditioner comes to an abrupt stop that skips the cycling process, there’s something very wrong. That doesn’t need to be entirely bad news, since there are remedies and solutions that our team provides. Don’t hesitate to get the issue fixed today!
Hall’s Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration can help! Call the doctor of home comfort today.
