There’s nothing better than bringing a long day to a close by relaxing in your air-conditioned home. However, you might have recently started to notice your air conditioner acting strangely.
If your cooling system has been shutting off after running for five or fifteen minutes, it’s understandable if you’re frustrated. This common problem can get in the way of your comfort — especially if outdoor temperatures have been higher than usual.
There are several potential reasons why your air conditioner turns off by itself. You can easily fix some of them, while others require the help of a professional technician. If you want to get back to cooling your home as you normally would, let’s go over the top causes of this issue below.
You’re Dealing With Thermostat Problems
If your air conditioner keeps shutting off, you’ll want to first check your thermostat. Your thermostat may have an electrical issue that is causing the AC unit to shut off prematurely — ruining your home comfort in the process.
However, there’s also a chance that your thermostat is simply located in a bad place. If this device was installed near a window, vent, or in a room that receives little to no sunlight, it could be misreading the temperature inside your home. All-in-all, you can fix this particular problem by having an AC/Heat technician reinstall the thermostat in another part of your home.
Your AC Unit Is Damaged
When discussing the potential reasons why your air conditioner turns off by itself, it’s impossible not to mention wear and tear. For example, if the AC compressor cycles on and off every five seconds or so, the condenser coils could be dirty or clogged with debris. Remembering to clean these coils on a regular basis can help ensure that they run properly without any disruption.
Of course, the possibilities don’t stop here. These outdoor air conditioning units have many components, including run capacitors, that may need to be repaired or replaced over time. If the AC compressor has sustained damage and the air conditioner keeps shutting off, most Tucson air conditioning companies will recommend scheduling a repair at the earliest opportunity. However, others might suggest replacing the unit if it appears to be nearing the end of its service life.
You Have a Dirty Air Filter
Have you changed your AC/Heat system’s air filter recently? If you haven’t, you might want to consider doing so sooner than later. Dirty air filters can cause many frustrating problems for your cooling system and could potentially be one of the reasons why your air conditioner turns off by itself.
Air is constantly moving through your AC/Heat system’s air filter. As this happens, dirt and debris can collect on both sides of it. This accumulation of debris will limit the airflow coming and going from your air conditioner. When you have poor, insufficient airflow, this can lead to frozen evaporator coils inside the air handler. While a clogged filter can be why your unit turns off suddenly, it can also lead to poor indoor air quality and higher energy bills.
How Often Should You Replace Your AC/Heat Filter?
It’s a good idea to replace the air filter every three months, or every 90 days. However, you might want to change the filter more frequently, depending on a few factors. For example, if you’re constantly blasting your air conditioner, have pets inside your home, or live in an area with a lot of dust, you may want to consider changing the filters every 30 days instead.
You’re Experiencing a Refrigerant Leak
Low refrigerant levels are another potential reason why your air conditioner keeps shutting off. Refrigerant plays an important part in the heat exchange process, as it is responsible for removing the heat from your home’s air. When you have a refrigerant leak, the AC unit can have trouble completing a regular cooling cycle.
Since refrigerant plays such a crucial role in cooling your home, there are many problems you can encounter when you have a refrigerant leak on your hands. For example, you might notice strange hissing noises coming from the unit, lukewarm air coming out of the vents, and skyrocketing energy bills.
How Often Does an Air Conditioner Need Refrigerant?
Air conditioners rarely need to have their refrigerant recharged. Believe it or not, your system constantly reuses the refrigerant that it already has since it is a closed system, and the refrigerant never loses its potency. In most cases, you’ll only need to add refrigerant to your unit in the event of a leak.
Your Air Conditioner Is Too Large
You might think that oversized air conditioners will keep homes cool and comfortable — but these units can actually end up causing more harm than good. In fact, installing a system that’s far too large for your needs could be why your AC keeps turning on and off.
As you can imagine, air conditioning systems that are too large will end up cooling homes at a much quicker rate. This might seem like a benefit, but when you cool your house too quickly, the air conditioning system will short cycle. Short cycling is when your air conditioner keeps shutting off every 15 minutes or so. This problem can cause warm and cold spots to appear throughout your home, as well as higher electric bills.
Keep Your Home Comfortable With Our AC Services
There are many potential reasons why your air conditioner turns off by yourself. When this problem occurs, it can be difficult to get to the bottom of the issue once and for all. If you’re tired of your air conditioner turning on and off every day, turn to Rite Way Heating, Cooling & Plumbing for help. We’re proud to specialize in a broad range of heating and cooling services, including AC repair. Get in touch with us today for more information about our Tucson AC services!
