Got a central air conditioner that turns on and off every few seconds or minutes? This is called “short cycling” (because normally the AC has a regular on and off “cycle” that varies with the outside temperature.) Short cycling wears out the outside unit’s compressor. That’s bad because the compressor is so expensive that, if it breaks, many homeowners usually just replace the entire outside unit. So, what causes short cycling? There are 3 common causes: We’ll discuss these problems in detail in this article. Or if you live in the metro Atlanta area and you ready to get this fixed now, schedule a repair with Coolray ASAP. Your AC compressor has a device called “low pressure control.” Basically, it can shut off the compressor when you’re low on refrigerant. And if you’re low on refrigerant, that means you also have a refrigerant leak that needs repairing. If not repaired, you’ll have to keep paying for a contractor to add more, which can get pricy.

See our answers to FAQs about refrigerant/Freon. An AC that is too large (oversized) cools your home too quickly, so it shuts down and starts up frequently. This causes several problems, including: If your AC is relatively new, try to get a refund and have a professional installer perform a Manual J Heat Load Calculation to find the size that’s right for you. The temperature around the thermostat determines how your AC runs. So if the thermostat is too close to an air supply vent, it gets a blast of cold air when the AC turns on. This signals to the AC to shut off (because the thermostat now think your whole home is cold). Then the ambient (surrounding) heat around the thermostat warms it up, causing the AC to turn back on. Then the cold air hits the thermostat, turning the AC back off. This is why the AC is short cycling. Luckily, this is a relatively simple fix – just find a better location for your thermostat. A professional air conditioning company can help you do find the best spot.

There are other issues that can cause your AC to short cycle, but these 3 are some of the most common ones. Want this problem fixed ASAP? If you live in the Atlanta area, schedule a repair with Coolray. Coolray is your Atlanta-area home comfort expert with specialists in heating, air conditioning, air quality and plumbing. We’d be happy to help – just contact us online.SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA — Chances are you won’t think too much about your heating and cooling system until you notice something wrong with it. ac home unit partsOne of the problems that we get calls about is the unit turning on, running for a short period of time and turning off again — over and over again.build ac unit “When an air conditioning system is rapidly starting and stopping, it’s called short cycling,” says Gabriel Carini, the founder and owner of our San Diego air conditioning and heating company. the best home ac units

“It’s a problem because it shortens the overall life of your HVAC system and can drive up your energy costs.” There are several reasons that can cause a heating and air conditioning system to short cycle, but most of them can be prevented or corrected with a few simple steps. A short cycling unit may be the symptom of a refrigerant leak somewhere within the AC unit. The simplest fix is to add refrigerant and recharge the air conditioning unit; however, that is only a temporary solution. Instead have an air conditioning repair and service technician find and repair the leak to prevent the refrigerant from leaking out again and causing the system to short cycle. When the evaporator coil or cooling coil of the unit gets covered in ice or frost, it can cause the unit to malfunction by turning on and off in short bursts. This can typically be fixed by turning off the air conditioning unit and letting the ice melt, then checking the air filters, cleaning or replacing dirty ones.

When a unit is sized correctly, it is capable of removing the heat as quickly as it comes in to the home or business Ideally, the system should be able to keep up with the incoming heat without gaining on it. An over-sized unit will be able to cool the space too quickly and cycle on and off. Every time the system starts up again, it requires a lot of electricity, decreasing efficiency and increasing the electric bill. “Another drawback to an over-sized unit is that it may not run long enough to remove water from the air, which can result in humidity problems,” says Carini. Sometimes short cycling is caused by an electrical fitting, control board or control switch that has been damaged, jiggled loose or completely broken. Simply replacing, repairing or reconnecting the fitting will resolve the problem and eliminate the short cycling. “Most of the causes of a short-cycling unit are issues that would have been inspected and fixed during a routine heating and air conditioning service,” says Carini.

“Investing in biannual tune-ups and changing your air filter every month will keep your HVAC system from having this type of problem.” Biannual tune-ups can be scheduled separately or purchased as part of the routine maintenance agreement. During a tune-up, the technician performs a 22 point inspection of the unit, making adjustments and minor repairs where needed. As for over-sized units, they can be replaced with a unit that is the proper size. If it needs any expensive repairs or if it is 10 or more years old, homeowners may be better off replacing the unit with a two-stage unit. “A properly-sized two-stage cooling unit is the ideal option for  homeowners who are replacing their unit anyway,” says Carini, who also specializes in business heating and air conditioning services. “These systems are very efficient and effective, particularly for people in San Diego’s relatively mild climate.” Two-stage cooling means that the air conditioning unit or heat pump has a compressor with a high setting for extra hot weather and a lower setting for milder weather.