Hac Cuts on and Quuckly Off Again

Why does my air conditioner plough off past itself?

If your air conditioner keeps turning on and off your AC organization is most probable short cycling. An Air conditioning arrangement may turn on and off repeatedly due to dingy, broken, or declining parts or for various other mechanical or electrical reasons.

The term short cycling refers to when an Air-conditioning system's cooling cycle terminates prematurely merely to turn on once more afterwards a brusk time. Depending on indoor and outdoor conditions, this could mean that your system turns on and off every 5 to 10 minutes.

An air conditioner that is switching on and off repeatedly is bad for both homeowners and your Air conditioning arrangement. It takes more power to start your Ac over and over as opposed to when it's running smoothly as it does in longer cycles. It also causes extra wear and tear on the mechanisms that piece of work to plough on your Air conditioning. This tin can dramatically increase your electric bill and result in more repairs needed for your Air-conditioning, so this is an issue you desire to fix every bit before long every bit possible.

11 Reasons Your AC Keeps Turning On and Off & How to Fix It

Luckily, short cycling is ordinarily an like shooting fish in a barrel set! Learn some of the nigh mutual reasons why your air conditioner keeps turning on and off and how you can cease your air conditioner from curt cycling.

1. Thermostat Problems

Your problem may be as uncomplicated every bit your thermostat causing the brusque cycling, and then when your Ac system is short cycling, check the thermostat. While the thermostat may seem like one small component of your entire system, this device controls the temperature of your entire home, so information technology's important that it functions properly.

If the thermostat is not sensing the temperature accurately and communicates misinformation, information technology volition signal the ac system to showtime and stop frequently.

If you notice your thermostat screen is blank or fading it may be depression on batteries and losing power intermittently. This volition crusade your AC system to turn on and off when your thermostat loses battery power.

Solution: Effort replacing the batteries and restarting the thermostat. If neither solution fixes your problem, telephone call an HVAC professional to diagnose the thermostat.

two. Bad Thermostat Placement

Your thermostat measures the temperature of the air around information technology to determine when to turn your Air-conditioning system on and off. Your thermostat may have inaccurate readings if it'due south located:

Near a window and receiving direct sunlight
Close to a room that's always hotter than the rest of the firm, such every bit the kitchen or bathroom
Beneath supply air vents, receiving direct airflow

Any of these situations could cause your thermostat to receive inaccurate, poor readings and recall your firm is hotter or colder than it really is.

Solution: Move your thermostat to a meliorate, more centralized location.

3. Muddied Air Filter

Clogged air filters are one of the most common causes of AC problems. A dirty air filter restricts airflow to your AC organisation and tin can cause multiple problems, including curt cycling.

Solution: Check and supplant your air filters if they're dingy.

Related article: How Often Should I Change My AC'southward Air Filter?

iv. Dirty Condenser Coils

If your exterior Air-conditioning unit of measurement is turning on and off and you haven't performed Air conditioning maintenance in a few years, it's possible your Ac's condenser coils are caked in dirt and droppings. Condenser coils are located inside the outdoor Air-conditioning unit and release the heat from inside your home. If they're chock-full with too much dirt and grime, your AC organisation could overheat and plow off oft.

Solution:Clean your condenser coils or have a local HVAC company perform routine Ac maintenance.

5. Oversized Air Conditioner

Accept you lot always had this problem? Or did it but outset recently when you lot installed a new Ac system?

A organization that is too large won't have an appropriate refrigerant bike and volition face up numerous bug, like cooling your home too quickly so turning off soon after it turns on. This might sound like a good thing, but in reality, your domicile is cooling unevenly and your AC will turn back on again sooner than it should need to.

If your AC cycles on and off every 10 minutes, then an oversized air conditioner may exist the crusade.

Non just are these issues inconvenient, just they tin can cause bigger issues for your home, such every bit:

Higher free energy bills: Turning your Air conditioning on and off repeatedly uses more energy
More repairs:Non but does curt cycling use more energy, but it besides puts more than wear and tear on the parts in your Air conditioning
Shorter lifespan: More clothing and tear means the average life expectancy of your air conditioner volition be shorter.

Solution: Use an Ac sizing estimator to gauge your system size requirements or contact a local HVAC company for a second opinion on the installation.

half-dozen. Refrigerant Leak

If your AC system has a refrigerant leak, your air conditioner could be too low on refrigerant. Refrigerant is a coolant that cycles through your Ac system, absorbing estrus and cooling down the air within your home.

It'south a common misconception that refrigerant is used upwards as part of an Ac system's cooling process. Simply the truth is low refrigerant levels are caused past pocket-size holes that allow the refrigerant to escape.

When your AC system is low on refrigerant, the compressor will malfunction and close off your compressor because the pressure level is too depression. And then, when your compressor is off, the pressure will rise again and it will turn back on. This creates a curt cycle that causes massive amounts of vesture and tear on your Air-conditioning arrangement, potentially resulting in parts going bad or system failure.

Solution: Refrigerant leaks can be dangerous, telephone call a local HVAC company to detect and fix the leak.

vii. Compressor Failure

Only like when in that location'southward a refrigerant leak, if your Ac compressor is overheating, malfunctioning, or starting to fail, it volition result in your AC system shutting off frequently and starting back upwardly shortly.

If you notice your Air-conditioning compressor shut off after 2-3 minutes of operation, and so your Air-conditioning compressor is nigh likely overheating or starting to fail.

Solution:Contact a local Air conditioning repair company to diagnose and replace your AC compressor, if this function is not working properly it tin can cause other parts to quickly dethrone from increased wear and tear.

8. Frozen Evaporator Coils

If your AC arrangement has airflow issues or a refrigerant leak, it'due south possible your evaporator coils are freezing upward. When this happens, your Air-conditioning system or sometimes just your outside Air-conditioning unit will plough off until the ice thaws and then turn on again.

Solution:Bank check your outdoor Air-conditioning unit for water ice buildup, if you've already checked your air filters, and so you likely have a refrigerant leak and volition want to call a local HVAC company to discover and fix the leak.

Air Conditioner Turns On and Off Right Away

Is your air conditioning system turning on and off right away, after only a few seconds or minutes of running? If your air conditioning unit turns on so off immediately and so yous most likely have problems with the electric components or the run capacitor.

9. Electrical Problems

Electric problems are a common cause of curt cycling. Oft, at that place may exist an event with the electrical supply line or the capacitor could be broken or failing, but your Air-conditioning organisation could also have an electric issue due to the thermostat, electrical connections anywhere in the system, or the excursion boards.

Solution: Call a local professional electrician. Electrical bug are not only hard to diagnose but diagnosing an electric problem tin can exist dangerous for even the most knowledgeable homeowners.

ten. Bad Run Capacitor

Your Air-conditioning'southward run capacitor gives your Ac system the initial heave of energy it needs to plow on and likewise provides continuous power and then your organisation can continue running. When this part starts to go bad it can result in intermittent ability being supplied to your Ac, causing it to turn off unexpectedly and then back on.

If your air conditioner starts then stops later on merely a few seconds or your air conditioner turns off after 30 seconds, then chances are there's a problem with your run capacitor and yous will need to supersede the part.

Solution:Contact a local HVAC company to diagnose and supplant your Ac capacitor, if this part is not working properly it can crusade other parts to quickly degrade from increased wear and tear.

eleven. Clogged Drain Line

Virtually AC systems take a safety featured called a float switch that will turn off your organisation when water in the drain line is not flowing properly and backs up. If you detect that even when yous turn your thermostat to Automobile the air does non broadcast, and you have already ruled out thermostat and electrical bug, so this is near likely your issue.

Solution:Check out our guide: How to Unclog Your Ac Bleed Line