Reasons Your Central AC Runs Constantly

​Understand Why Your AC Never Cycles Off

During the warmest months of the year, you want a working air conditioning unit in your home, but you don't want too much of a good thing. If the appliance never shuts off, you may wonder whether you have a good or bad problem on your hands. Next Level HVAC wants to help you put your fears to rest with the help of a professional and well-experienced HVAC contractor in Sonoma and Marin County.

​The Good

You may not necessarily have an issue if your unit operates constantly. Depending on where you live, relentless summer heat may force your AC to run more often than usual to keep you and your family comfortable. Longer cycles help to reduce overall wear and tear on your system, and you won't need to worry as much about humidity building up in your home.

It's when your unit legitimately runs day and night without ever cycling off that you may have a problem. The same applies if your home never actually reaches your desired temperature or you and your family never truly feel comfortable while the unit operates.

The Not-So-Good

If you feel something's truly off with an air conditioner that never shuts off, a few issues may be to blame. You may have a unit that's too small for your home. This could be your problem if you recently purchased a new unit, you have a frozen evaporator coil or you have cool air blowing from the vents but still have a hot home. One of the biggest risks of having a too-small unit is the chances of experiencing an avoidable (and expensive) breakdown increase. Contractors can perform a heat load calculation, which helps you determine for sure if you have a properly sized unit. 

Your unit may also have blocked or weakened airflow. Check the air filter to see if it needs cleaning or changing, and look to see whether you have blocked vents. Damaged ducts, a frozen evaporator coil or a bad blower motor may also be to blame.

Another reason your air conditioner may never shut off is that you could have low refrigerant levels. Indications include not feeling cool air blowing from the vents, refrigerant leaks and a frozen evaporator coil. To know for sure if this is the issue, have an HVAC technician examine your unit.

AC units may also never cycle off if they have an evaporator or condenser coil in need of a cleaning. If an HVAC tech doesn't tell you that you have low refrigerant levels, have her or him inspect your condenser and evaporator coils to see if they're dirty. What's happening is that your refrigerant can't draw heat from the air because of the built-up dirt. Outside the unit, dirty coils block heat from escaping as it should, forcing your unit to operate longer than necessary to do its job.
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You should not have to endure an air conditioner that never shuts off for longer than necessary. To reach a qualified technician to answer your questions or inspect your unit, contact a Next Level HVAC representative today. Call 707-228-9921 or fill out and submit a contact form whenever you're ready.