Once the heat of summer really gets back into full swing, is your air conditioning system going to be there for you in order to keep your home cool and comfortable? Obviously, investing in good equipment and keeping that equipment well-maintained by scheduling annual tune-ups is going to give your system a good fighting chance. The truth is, however, that even the best and most well-maintained systems will stumble from time to time.
Now, an air conditioner that won’t start up at all or that is pumping hot air into your home is an air conditioner that is obviously in need of professional air conditioning repair services. There are plenty of instances in which you may need AC repairs in Madera that aren’t quite as obvious, though. An AC that is running irregularly is certainly one of them. Just don’t fool yourself into thinking that such problems are “minor” enough to wait on.
Why This Is a Problem
An air conditioner that is running irregularly or in short bursts is suffering from “short cycling”. An air conditioner is designed to run in full, even cooling cycles. This allows the system to cool the house evenly and it allows the system to do its job without suffering a lot of unnecessary wear and tear. Short cycling is much more than a nuisance. It can really damage your system.
A short cycling air conditioner is forced to start up over and over again. When this happens, it wastes a lot of energy. It requires more energy to start a system up than it does to keep it up and running regularly, remember. Even worse, a short cycling system is going to be at a serious risk of operational problems. By preventing the system from short cycling, you get a more efficient and affordable cooling experience while also protecting the system even as you live in greater comfort.
What Causes It?
As is the case with most air conditioning problems, there are a number of reasons why an air conditioner may short cycle. A thermostat could be registering temperatures incorrectly, for instance, triggering the system to shut down before desired temperatures are actually met.
You may also have a very dirty air filter, which you can obviously replace on your own (and which you should be doing before such problems can even develop). How does this happen? Well, a dirty air filter is going to cause the system to work harder than it should have to in order to force air through the system. That can cause it to overheat, and your system may simply shut down to prevent damages.
Finally, it is possible that you have a refrigerant leak. This is a much more serious problem, and one that needs to be dealt with by a professional. The fact that continuing to run a system that is low on refrigerant can lead to total compressor failure just goes to show how serious a seemingly “minor” problem like short cycling can really be. Don’t take chances if your system is running irregularly. Contact us for the services that your AC may need.
We strive to provide honest answers and solutions to the problems our customers experience while remaining highly competitive in price, and offer the fastest turnaround you can find! Call Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning today.