Is it Bad for My Central Air Conditioning to Run Constantly?

by Kaitlin Killian on May 4, 2020 in

Air Conditioning

It’s inevitable that on particularly hot, summer days your AC will need to run longer – it may even seem to run constantly.

While it’s normal for a central air conditioner to run without cycling on and off on the hottest days of a Pennsylvania summer, here’s what to know about your AC constantly running:

A positive thing about having your AC unit on is that it helps dehumidify your home – a big plus on the east coast during the scorching heat. It can also decrease wear and tear on your system from less starting and stopping.

As long as you are staying comfortable, your home is reaching set thermostat temperature on very hot days and airflow from vents is normal, and your energy bills are about the same as they were last year – there’s likely not a problem.

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However, there are signs something may be wrong and needs correcting – here’s when you should be concerned:

If your AC literally never stops running, the thermostat temp is never reached, and you’re never comfortable, there are few things that could be causing your cooling system to run constantly.

There’s a refrigerant leak
Your AC is not getting enough air: your AC may be running constantly because it can’t supply your home with enough cool air – either something is wrong with the blower itself, or something is blocking air to the blower. Try changing your air filter; open all supply vents; make sure no return grilles are blocked by drapes, curtains or furniture; check if your ducts are leaking.
The evaporator or condenser coils are either dirty or blocked: dirt on the evaporator coil prevents refrigerant from absorbing heat from your air, and dirt on the outside unit prevents heat from escaping and the outside fan from cooling the coil. Either can cause your AC to run constantly since it’s struggling to absorb heat from your home and/or release heat outside. Call a professional to schedule AC maintenance visit, which can include cleaning the inside and outside units and other maintenance tasks that will increase the efficiency of your system.
Your AC is undersized: an undersized system is running constantly as it struggles to cool your home. The constant running will reduce pressure in the cooling coil until it freezes over, which is dangerous as it can cause liquid refrigerant to flood back to the compressor and damage it (the compressor is a very expensive part). It’s recommended to have an AC contractor perform a heat load calculation on your home to determine what air conditioner size (measured in tons) your home needs.
You AC is old and needs to be replaced with a more efficient system

As always, use caution when handling any HVAC job, as you could potentially cause more damage to your system, leading to bigger expenses and headaches.

Rely on UGI Heating, Cooling & Plumbing air conditioning company and our skilled HVAC contractors to help you with your AC service or air condition repair.

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Make an appointment today with the leading HVAC company for all of your air condition repairs and installations in Lehigh Valley PA, Harrisburg PA, Lancaster PA, Reading PA that are right for your home needs, budget, and environment: 1-833-980-3496