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Olive Explains Why Your AC Keeps Shutting Off

Dog Cooling Off

I don’t want you to come into this blog thinking that your AC shutting off is weird. Your air conditioning system isn’t supposed to run all the time. It goes through cycles where it runs for long enough to provide cooling, then turns off for a stretch before it needs to come back on. That’s just normal, and it keeps the AC from wearing down and your house getting too cold. I know when I go for walks that sometimes I’d love for the walk to last forever, but I do get tired and need to rest before I’m ready again.

But the “AC shutting off” I’m talking about in this post is when your air conditioner turns off too soon. You’ll know “too soon” because you’ll be too hot! I’ll tell you why this might be happening and what you (or we) can do about it.

1. Clogged air filter

I write about clogged air filters an awful lot, but I need to: they’re a common problem and easy to avoid. Among the various troubles, a dirty air filter can cause is making the AC overheat. There’s just too much pressure on the air conditioner to draw air through that filter and it shuts down. Put in a clean filter and see if your air conditioner goes back to work.

2. Thermostat problems

When your air conditioning system doesn’t behave the way it should, consider that the problem may be that the AC is getting the wrong instructions. Those instructions come from the thermostat. If the thermostat isn’t correctly reading the home’s temperature, it will tell the AC to shut off too early. Our team can easily diagnose and correct thermostat problems, which can mean a recalibration or a thermostat replacement.

3. Short-cycling

This is specifically when the AC shuts down early and then starts up again a short time later and continues to repeat the process. This puts plenty of wear and tear on the air conditioner, can lead to an early system failure, and will definitely lead to higher energy bills. There are many reasons for short-cycling, such as leaking refrigerant or an air conditioner that’s the wrong size for the house. We’ll find the source and get it fixed for you.

4. Dirty condenser coil

The outdoor condenser coil is where your air conditioner releases the heat it takes from out of your home. This heat has to go somewhere! If there’s plenty of dirt and grime along the coil, it makes it harder for the coil to release this heat—and now you’ve got an AC that’s too hot and will shut down early. You can have our team thoroughly clean the coils without damaging them.

5. The AC is too old

Is your air conditioning system more than 15 years old? If so, this early shutdown is a major warning that the AC is past its prime and won’t work for you much longer. We can help you with making the decision about whether it’s time to replace the unit.

You can leave AC repair in Knoxville, TN to our team. We’ll see that your AC runs in the right cycles.

Live worry-free,

Olive

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