Your air conditioner runs in cycles. When the thermostat gives the signal that your home has gotten too warm, the compressor kicks on and the refrigerant starts circulating, carrying the heat out of your house. Once it gets cool enough, the thermostat signals for the compressor to shut off again. The air conditioner then enters a resting state, waiting for the next signal to turn on.
These cycles should only happen a handful of times per hour. But what if your air conditioner is coming on and shutting off over and over, every few minutes? It’s called short cycling. It’s a sign that something is wrong with your air conditioner. It can also cause more problems to occur! Here’s what’s going on.
The Limit Switch
The most likely scenario is that the limit switch is being tripped. This is a safety mechanism that prevents your air conditioner from continuing to run when a dangerous problem is happening. So what’s going on? Well, it could simply be a limit switch malfunction! Occasionally, this component does shut the AC down when there’s really no need, and then it’s just the limit switch which requires repair.
Overheating
In most cases, though, the limit switch is being triggered because of overheating. If a component creates too much heat inside the system, it will automatically shut down in order to avoid serious risks, like a fire hazard. And because there are a lot of moving parts inside your air conditioner, things can easily overheat.
It could be that friction from unlubricated parts rubbing together is causing the heat. It could be an electrical issue, with wiring problems leading to overheating. Or it could be that there’s a thick blanket of dust over the blower fan motor, so the small amount of heat it creates is being held in, as though by insulation, as it gets hotter and hotter.
Worsening Problems
When you notice short cycling, you need to get AC repair right away! Not only do you have an existing problem, you’re going to end up with more problems simply because of the short cycling. How does this symptom create worsening problems? There are two main ways.
First, there’s the excessive consumption of energy. No part of the cooling cycle uses anywhere near as much energy as the startup. When you go from AC cycles starting up three or four times an hour to twelve or more times an hour, your energy use will skyrocket. That means your electric bill will also shoot up, costing you a shocking amount of money!
Second, there’s wear and tear. All the components of the system will be working harder in order to start and stop constantly like that, which can lead to all sorts of other breakdowns and repair needs. Worst of all is the wear and tear on the compressor. Because this critical component is so expensive, if it fails, you’ll probably be better off getting a whole new air conditioner.
Don’t let this happen to you! Get AC repair in Marana, AZ as soon as short cycling starts.
Contact Picture Rocks Cooling, Heating & Plumbing today with any questions or to schedule an appointment with our professionals.