It does not matter if you live in Massachusetts and get snow dumped on you each winter, or if you live here in Texas with our considerably milder winter season. You need to know that your comfort is in fact protected when the coldest weather of the year hits, mild as that “cold” weather may seem to some. This is precisely why you cannot afford to overlook any problems with your home heating system.At the first sign of trouble, you should already be reaching for the phone to have the heater put back on track.
Certain issues with your heater may be tougher to recognize than others, of course. If your heating system is short cycling, though, it will be pretty obvious that something is wrong.The question then is: why the heck is the system short cycling to begin with. As is usually the case, there are a few different potential causes of this particular problem. The good news? We are the HVAC company in Spring, TX that you can count on to accurately diagnose the problem and to resolve it entirely.
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So, What Is Short Cycling?
You have probably noticed that your heater does not run non-stop. It starts up when the temperature dips below the level that you’ve set at the thermostat, and it shuts back down once the desired temperature is met. With a heater, it is all about proper temperature maintenance. Short cycling is a situation in which the system does not run in full, complete cycles. Instead, it starts up and runs only briefly, only to cycle down again rapidly.
Why Is This a Problem?
There are many negative effects of short cycling. First of all, it takes more energy to start a system up than it does to actually run a system. That means that a heater that is starting up far too frequently due to short cycling is also going to cost more than it should to operate. Plus, the heating output won’t be as even and comfortable, meaning that you are paying more for a lesser heating performance!
That is not the only risk that your budget faces when it comes to short cycling, though. You see, a short cycling heater also suffers a lot more wear and tear than it should. That means that your system is at a greater risk of running into operational problems than it should be. Don’t ignore short cycling, only to have your system suffer damages due to your own inaction.
But What Causes It?
Again, any number of problems. It could be that you have a very dirty air filter that is creating so much airflow resistance that the system is overheating and shutting down in order to self-preserve. That is a problem with a simple fix that you can handle on your own. You could also have a refrigerant leak if you use a heat pump, though, and that is a much more serious issue that could result in complete system failure if given the chance. Faulty run capacitors could also be to blame. Ultimately, a professional diagnosis and resolution is the way to go.
Schedule your HVAC services with Milton Frank Plumbing & Cooling.