Being hot through the summer isn’t the ideal way to spend the season. Which means, we all take to our air conditioners for the ultimate support through these hot times. As much as we love us in home cooling systems, they can be a bit pricey. Unless you’re a trained professional, it’s hard to know what’s going on with your AC unit if it’s acting differently. Perhaps one of the issues you’re running into this season is that it’s not shutting off on its own. Is that a bad thing?
Yes! Your AC unit should be turning off after a certain point and time. Does it not do that? Well, here are some things to check when it comes to your AC unit and how it currently runs.
Improper Sizing
If your central air unit is too small for your home, that means that it will continuously be running to push your house full of air. The unit will be working harder and never achieve the desired temperature to shut off.
Another sizing issue to check would be the sizing of your ductwork. Ductwork should be relative to the size of your AC unit. If they are unable to distribute the air evenly through a home, it would be a cause for a unit to run inefficiently.
Your Air Filter
When was the last time your air filter has been switched out? A clogged filter will restrict the direct airflow into the home and prolong the run time of the cooling unit. It will run longer and more frequent through the day. Stay on top of filter changes. If your home is full of people and pets, be sure to swap it out every two months.
Condenser Coils Covered in Grime
Are your air conditioner’s coils covered in anything? Since the coils are exposed to outside elements, they should be cleaned. “When airborne particles form a layer on coil surfaces, the efficiency of the all-important heat transfer from the air to the refrigerant is diminished. This can result in poor cooling performance, and higher operating costs as the system run longer “on” cycles to meet thermostat settings.” – Griffith Energy Services
Your Thermostat
If your thermostat is programmed incorrectly or if it’s malfunctioning. This could be a reason to your system never shutting off. Double check what your thermostat reads and make sure it’s reacting to the settings you’re inputting into the appliance. You can test this by turning it down 5 degrees cooler than what the internal temperature is manually and see if it kicks on.