As spring turns to summer in Casselberry, FL, you’re going to start using your system a lot more often than normal.That means you need to pay careful attention to the signs that something is wrong, and act quickly when you spot them. One of the more subtle symptoms of a damaged air conditioner is short cycling, which is an air conditioning turning on, running for a short period of time and turning off… only to turn back on again just a few minutes later. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but in fact it can be devastating to your system as a whole.
What Causes It
Short cycling can be caused by a failure inside the system somewhere, such as the compression array, the fan motor, or even the thermostat misreading the temperature. You can usually spot these because the system will often turn off before it has adequately cooled your home. It’s actually easier to deal with than some of the alternatives, because it means you simply need to repair or replace the malfunctioning component. More problematic is short cycling caused by an overpowered unit, which will cool the air adequately, but too quickly. In those cases, there’s nothing to do but replace the air conditioner, which is why things like warranties and proper sizing before installation are so important.
Why It’s an Issue
Short cycling is an issue for a very simple reason: starting and stopping costs your air conditioner far more in wear and tear and higher bills than simply running your air conditioner. Ideally, you want your system to run for at least 15 minutes at a time before turning off, to make the best use of your resources. Otherwise, you’ll increase your energy usage and the wear on your system, leading to higher bills and eventual repairs.
Call Downtown Heat and Air to handle short cycling issues.
