Month: June 2020

When an air conditioner (AC) turns on and off in rather quick successions, without running for longer periods, this is called short cycling. It’s fairly common, but when this happens it means there’s something wrong with your air conditioner. So what should you do?

Don’t leave these occurrences alone. They will increase your energy costs, usually indicate a larger problem, and could lead to permanent damage of your unit, thus requiring a costly replacement. Short cycling also shortens your air conditioner’s life span.

Have one of our professional technicians inspect your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system as soon as possible. Any one of our experts at ACS Air Conditioning Services can diagnose and repair this issue for you. Don’t delay, so we can get your air conditioner back to its most efficient state for you.

While there are many possible reasons for short cycling, here are several of the most common ones and what can be done to fix them.

Low Refrigerant

The coolant that flows through your system, helping to absorb heat and cool the air inside your home, is called refrigerant. You may know it by one of its brand names—Freon®. When your refrigerant is low, the needed compressor-pressure levels are affected. This triggers your compressor’s low-pressure control, shutting off your compressor.

When the pressure rises and triggers your air conditioner to restart, this causes the short cycling. If your refrigerant level is low, this indicates your air conditioner has a leak, as refrigerant is cycled throughout the compressor, not burned off.

Low refrigerant can also cause frozen coils. One of our professionals can find your leak and prevent any further issues or damage.

While our professional is looking at your refrigerant, be sure to have a conversation about the type of refrigerant used in your air conditioner. To be consistent with the 1987 Montreal Protocol, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated regulated changes to all HVAC refrigerant here in Arizona and across the United States. Your air conditioner may be affected. If it is, you will have some decisions to make.

Thermostat Location

Your thermostat acts as the sensor for your air conditioner, telling it when to cool your home. If its location is not optimal, such as near a window or too close to a vent, your thermostat will be sending misleading information to your air conditioning system.

Suppose your thermostat is in the direct line of a vent’s airflow. This will cause the thermostat to think it’s cooler in your home than it really is, and your air conditioner will shut off thinking it’s reached its desired temperature. Since the cool air is no longer flowing through the vent, the thermostat realizes your home is actually still too warm and triggers your air conditioner to start up again. This is short cycling. Be sure your thermostat is located in a central location away from direct sunlight and vents.

Dirty Air Filter

Dirty air filters are one of the most common and easily remedied problems with air conditioners we see here in Tucson. The dirty filters restrict airflow, which in turn causes so many problems, one of them being a frozen coil. This can cause your air conditioner to malfunction and short cycle. Be sure to change your filters regularly to avoid any issues.

Oversized Air Conditioner

An air conditioning unit that’s too large for your home short cycles, because it cools your home too rapidly while it doesn’t dehumidify it properly. So it will shut down and start up frequently.

You will more than likely also find your home has hot and cold spots, and you will experience higher energy bills. If your air conditioner is newly installed, talk to the technicians who installed it to see what they can do to help you.

You want to be sure a Manual J heat load calculation (an Air Conditioner Contractors of America [ACCA] approved method of calculating house cooling loads) is always performed when determining the proper size heating and cooling system for your Tucson, AZ, home. Call our qualified professionals to do a Manual J at your home to determine if your current unit is appropriately sized.

Contact ACS Air Conditioning Services Today

Short cycling causes a whole host of problems with your air conditioner. If you notice your air conditioner behaving like this, call one of our ACS Air Conditioning Services professionals at 520-230-5668 or request service online to assess the situation. You want your air conditioner to cool efficiently and to last for years to come. Short cycling will short change you.

Everyone knows temperature plays an important role in comfort. When the weather gets chilly, you automatically adjust your furnace or heating system. And the air conditioner tends to be center stage in the heat of the summer. However, it’s important to realize humidity levels play just as much of a leading role in your Arizona home.

Our ACS Air Conditioning Services team wants to help you understand humidity levels and how to control them for improved comfort and better overall health.

What Is Humidity?

Humidity measures the amount of moisture in the air. Most people associate dryness with winter; that’s a function of humidity. In some areas of the country, summers can be hot and humid.

A more relevant question, however, is what is the relative humidity in your Tucson home? Relative humidity is a measure of both temperature and moisture. It’s more important to understand relative humidity to know how to adjust your home’s comfort level.

To calculate your relative humidity, you can use this chart from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Education Place, which gives you an easy reference. If the relative humidity is 100 percent, that means the air cannot hold any additional water. What that means from a comfort standpoint is that your sweat will no longer evaporate, making you feel hotter.

Ideally, your home needs to remain around 40 to 50 percent relative humidity for optimal comfort and health.

What Happens at High Humidity?

If your home’s relative humidity exceeds 60 percent, you may start experiencing some indoor air problems. Mold begins to grow at this humidity level and accelerates its growth between 70 and 90 percent relative humidity. A humid environment, combined with a food source of organic matter, is a recipe for a potentially invasive and dangerous problem.

Furthermore, you can experience condensation on your windows and walls, which can lead to long-term structural weakening and damage to your home. Moisture not only encourages mold growth, but can attract pests and contribute to other allergen problems.

Finally, high humidity can negatively affect human health by increasing the likelihood of heat stroke, heart problems, or asthma.

What Happens at Low Humidity?

On the flip side, too low of relative humidity levels can cause other indoor air issues. Static electricity can be annoying, and things like dry skin and lips are uncomfortable. Dry air can aggravate common colds with scratchy throats and nasal discomfort. Your indoor environment can feel colder as well with dry air.

Additionally, humidity levels that are too low can harm wood furniture and musical instruments. Wood floors or wall paneling may shrink and warp, and wallpaper may begin to peel.

How Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers Can Help

While your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can affect humidity to some degree, investing in a whole-house humidifier and dehumidifier can be beneficial.

Today’s humidifiers are well designed and use sensors and computers to automatically maintain humidity at around 45 percent. Furthermore, modern humidifiers are designed to prevent microbial growth and use drain-through technology, so they do not hold standing water when they are off.

Although a well-maintained air conditioner should be removing humidity as well as heat from your home, you can install an additional dehumidifier to your HVAC system. A dehumidifier will remove further moisture before the air circulates through your air duct system.

In addition, you can also purchase portable humidifiers or dehumidifiers for single room or single area usage.

Contact Us Today

If you want to learn more about humidifiers, dehumidifiers, or both, call ACS Air Conditioning Services in Tucson, AZ. Our professional team can help you find the best HVAC solutions to keep your home healthy and comfortable. Call 520-230-5668 or request service online today.