In order to function at peak performance levels, your air conditioner must complete a full cooling cycle before shutting back down. If your system is starting up, but only running for a very short time before shutting down again, you are experiencing a problem known as short cycling. Short cycling may be caused by a few different problems, but regardless of the cause in your situation, it is an issue that should be resolved as soon as possible. Contact the Spring, TX air conditioning repair professionals on our staff if you think that your system is short cycling.
What Causes It?
As we said above, there are a few different issues that can result in short cycling. One of the most common is, unfortunately, one for which there really is no repair: an oversized air conditioner. If your AC has always had issues with short cycling, the fact of the matter may be that it is simply too big for the home in which it is installed. That means that it is bringing temperatures down too quickly, before a full cycle is completed, impeding dehumidification and causing the system to start and stop too frequently. You may also have a malfunctioning thermostat, which can just be replaced, or a failing run capacitor. This is an electrical device that helps to maintain an appropriate charge in the motor to keep the system up and running reliably.
Why Is It a Problem?
Short cycling not only reduces the dehumidifying effect that your air conditioner has on the air in your home, but also puts a lot of excess strain on your home cooling system. This can result in increased wear and tear, leading to otherwise avoidable system damages. Plus, because your system uses more energy when starting up than when simply running, short cycling can actually cause efficiency levels to drop considerably.
Be sure to schedule your AC repairs with the pros here at Milton Frank Plumbing.