When your home starts heating up, you rely on your AC to kick in and cool you down. But what do you do when your AC switches off before it finished its job? When air conditioners are constantly going on and off, on and off, this is a problem known as short cycling. It’s a common issue many homeowners face, which can lead to many, more major issues. If you’re frustrated with your on again, off again system, find out how you can put an end to your AC short cycling.

What Is Short Cycling?

Short cycling is when your air conditioner is switching on and off again before it has a chance to properly cool your home. When an AC is short cycling, it’s nearly impossible to keep your home comfortable. It will also start running up your electric bill. Not only is short cycling terrible for your home, but it can be catastrophic for your system. Short cycling puts a lot of stress on your AC, leading to expensive repairs or an entire system replacement.

Why Is It Happening?

Many homeowners are left scratching their head wondering what could cause this. After all, this may be a brand new system, so why is it short cycling! There are several potential culprits for short cycling:

  • Oversized Air Conditioner. When it comes to your AC, bigger is not always better. If the system is too large for your home, it will blast a lot of cool air, very quickly, and then shut down. This doesn’t help your home stay cool and only leads to system breakdowns and higher energy bills.
  • Low Refrigerant Levels. Air conditioners that are low on refrigerant can overheat. This makes them shut down frequently, not properly cooling your home.
  • Clogged Air Filter. A dirty air filter has many negative effects including causing your system to short cycle. This is because clogged air filters block airflow and overheat your system.
  • Frozen Evaporator Coil. When ice builds up on your evaporator coils, your AC is no longer able to remove heat. Again, this causes your system to overheat and switch off frequently.

What Can I Do?

When your AC is short cycling, it’s a serious problem. You need to have an experienced technician take a look at your system. If you’re sick of your system turning on and off and on and off, then call One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Clearwater! Our technicians have all the solutions you need for your short cycling AC. Don’t wait until it’s too late to fix, contact One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Clearwater at the first sign of short cycling!