An HVAC system is a necessity for the home, and you want it to work well. However, you might find your HVAC system has trouble now and again. One issue an HVAC system may experience is called short cycling. Here’s what short cycling is, what causes this HVAC issue, and how to prevent short cycling with your HVAC system.
What is Short Cycling?
Short cycling is when your HVAC system turns off and on more often than it should. You may notice a difference in how your HVAC system cycles suddenly. When your system experiences short cycling, it isn’t taking the time it needs to produce the desired temperature change. For example, a regular cycle may take about 15 minutes or so. If you have a short cycle problem, the period of time is much shorter.
What Causes Short Cycling?
There are a few reasons for short cycling. The HVAC system may be the incorrect size, or maintenance may be required. When these issues occur, if left uncorrected, can cause problems for your HVAC system. Short cycling may put unnecessary strain on the system and increase your utility bill. Here are some possible causes of short cycling:
- Incorrect Unit Size: If the HVAC system is too large for your home’s heating and cooling needs, this can cause the short cycling problem with your system. It’s best to have the right size HVAC unit to adequately heat and cool your home and enable the system to use regular cycling.
- Incorrect Installation: If your HVAC system wasn’t installed correctly, this could lead to short cycling with the system. An HVAC professional can check your system to ensure the installation is correct.
- Maintenance Required: Another reason for short cycling issues with your HVAC system is if maintenance is required. The system may have low refrigerant, or you may need to change the air filter. Hiring an HVAC company to perform regular maintenance on your HVAC system can help prevent short cycling issues from occurring.
- Poor Thermostat Replacement: If you’ve recently had your thermostat replaced and found that the short cycling problem began after that time, the thermostat may not be set up correctly. Contact your HVAC maintenance professional to help resolve the issue so the short cycling problem won’t persist.
How to Solve Short Cycling
If the short cycling issue results in your HVAC system only running for 5-10 minutes during each session, you may want to turn off the system temporarily to prevent permanent damage from occurring. At that point, contact an HVAC professional to come out to your home, evaluate the problem, and fix the short cycling issue to get your HVAC system running at its normal speed again.
Ensure your HVAC system works correctly and prevent short cycling from negatively affecting your heating and air conditioning unit. Contact Air Design with any questions regarding short cycling and to obtain repair and maintenance services to keep your HVAC system running well.
Contact Air Design to make sure your HVAC system operates properly!
