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Airtech Mechanical Services, Inc. Blog

Short Cycling: What It Is and What To Do About It

Summer may be getting close to wrapping up but that doesn’t mean the hot weather has gone anywhere. Your air conditioner still has a big job on its hands in regards to keeping your home cool in the coming weeks. The problem is that it can seem to do that job correctly.

Let’s get straight to it: you can’t seem to keep your home cool. This is not only causing you discomfort but it is also extremely frustrating–largely because you can still hear your AC running! So if your air conditioner is functioning, what is the source of the problem.

Bear with us for a moment here and take the next several minutes to see how long your system’s cooling cycle is actually lasting. Is it only lasting a few brief minutes before shutting off? If so, then the source of your issue is called short cycling.

What is Short Cycling?

Short cycling is almost exactly what it sounds like–a shortened cooling cycle. Contrary to what some might think, a shorter cooling cycle will ruin both your air conditioner’s energy efficiency and your comfort. Short cycling can also cause severe damage to your system itself and shorten its lifespan. That means that the longer short cycling goes on, the most expensive the problem gets all while leaving you uncomfortable and frustrated. And that’s no good.

What Causes Short Cycling?

Short cycling can be thought of as the result of a deeper issue within your air conditioner. Here are some of the key causes of this problem:

  • Poor airflow: If there is not strong enough air flow in your air conditioner it can cause the system to shut down because off added strain.
  • Bad temperature detection: Do you have an older thermostat that has been giving you trouble? It may also be giving your air conditioner problems with or temperature readings that cause it to shut down early.
  • Improper sizing: If you had an amateur try to install your air conditioner they may have sized it incorrectly which can lead to short cycling.
  • Ice buildup: If there is ice on your system’s evaporator coil it can cause  the system to overheat and shut down early.

We Can Address This Problem and Many More!

Whether you know for sure that your system is short cycling or you simply have a hunch the best response you can have is to shut your system off and calling the pros. a professional technician will be able to examine your system to identify whether or not it is short cycling and what the core cause of the issue is. From there they can also provide an effective solution in the form of an expert AC repair in Washington, NC.

When you need expert AC services anywhere on the Crystal Coast, you can turn to Airtech Mechanical Services, Inc. All of our technicians are highly trained and ready to provide the long-term solutions you need to keep your AC running right so you can stay cool.

Get The Airtech Advantage today. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

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