Howdy folks! It’s that time of the year where our air conditioners are on full blast as we sit inside and wait out some of the record-breaking temperatures that are starting to hit our area. Especially here in Bradenton, temperatures are consistently in the 90s with high levels of humidity. It’s becoming almost impossible to feel comfortable and secure without a functioning air conditioner.
This leads us to talk about one of the most serious problems your air conditioner can encounter. That’s right, we’re going to spend this blog post talking about short cycling, and how it relates to our air conditioning services in Bradenton, FL.
We’ll talk about how to tell if your air conditioner is starting to short cycle, as well as start figuring out which one of our professional services is going to provide you with the solution you need. Let’s get started!
What Is Short Cycling?
Let’s start off on the right foot. Short cycling is basically a term we use in the HVAC industry to describe an air conditioner that starts and stops in frequent succession. A heat pump can short cycle as well as a ductless mini split, since they run in cycles similarly to a normal air conditioner. And since short cycling can be the result of a refrigerant leak, any system that uses refrigerant is at risk of short cycling.
You can usually tell that an air conditioner or heat pump is short cycling if you notice it run in frequent, short cycles. Short cycling causes stress on specific components of your air conditioner while also consuming more energy, since the start-up of an AC system is the most energy-intensive part of the cooling process. If you suspect your AC is short cycling, then you need to call for professional support.
What Is the Cause of Short Cycling?
This is where things get interesting. Short cycling can occur for a number of different reasons, and here are just a few of them.
- Your air filter is dirty and needs to be replaced. The restricted airflow can cause the system to overheat and shut down abruptly, causing frequent, short cycles.
- There’s a refrigerant leak. Leaking refrigerant will make the cooling process harder and require more energy, leading to short cycling.
- Your air conditioner is too large. Was your system set up by an amateur? It could be too large for your home and abruptly stopping when the temperature has been reached prematurely.
There certainly are other causes of short cycling, but these are the most common causes we see.
What Can We Do?
Here are just a few ways we can help you deal with your short cycling system.
Repair Services
If you’re suffering from a refrigerant leak or a problem with your air filter, our team can repair your broken unit. Our repair services are fast, effective, and designed to target the root of the problem. You’ll see more efficiency from your system as a result of calling us as well!
Replacement Services
If, in fact, your air conditioner was incorrectly installed, we can provide you with replacement services that don’t break the bank. Unfortunately, for an oversized air conditioner that is short cycling, this is usually the only good long-term solution that we recommend.
Contact Jim McDonald & Sons Heating & Cooling Inc. today. Cooling Sarasota and Manatee Counties since 1970.