We may joke about how during our hot and humid Louisiana summers the air conditioners have to be running nonstop. Of course, there are cooler spells and evenings when ACs power down, and no air conditioner needs to power the compressor constantly to meet a home’s cooling demands. (At least, not if it was correctly sized for the space when it was installed.)
If you do notice that your air conditioner’s compressor is running constantly rather than cycling down as it’s supposed to, you may have a malfunctioning cooling system. Below we’re going to look at some of the reasons you’ve got a runaway air conditioner.
How does AC maintenance help prevent an air conditioner from running constantly?
- Helps keep the outdoor coil clean so the system can release heat properly
- Catches thermostat issues that can keep the AC running longer than it should
- Identifies airflow and duct problems that make cooling less effective
- Reduces strain on the system by improving overall performance
- Helps spot aging or efficiency issues before they lead to bigger problems
1. The AC is too small
We mentioned this above: if an air conditioner was sized incorrectly at its installation, it may be too underpowered to ever cool a house down to a comfortable level. The compressor will run continually as the system tries to reach the setting on the thermostat, never making it. This is one of the many reasons why you should only allow professionals to install an air conditioner, since they will perform a load calculation to determine the ideal size of AC to meet cooling demands. If replacement is necessary, find the right AC. (Unfortunately, the only way to fix a badly sized system is to replace it.)
2. There is excess dirt on the outdoor coil
The outside cabinet is exposed to the elements—as well as the effects of gardening and mowing—which leads to grass, mulch, dirt, etc. getting inside and across the coil. Dirt and grime along the coil will restrict how much heat the coil can release to the outside. Too much restriction means the refrigerant in the coil won’t cool down enough to effectively remove heat when it goes through the indoor coil. The AC will start running overtime to make up the difference. Coil cleaning is a basic part of saving more with AC maintenance, but it’s also something professionals can do as a repair.
3. The thermostat is broken
The issue may be with the thermostat—if it sensing the wrong indoor temperatures, it may never register to shut off the AC. An HVAC professional can fix this by recalibrating the unit. The thermostat may also have lost its connection to shut off the compressor, another issue a professional can correct for you.
4. Loss of cool air due to ducts leaks
Problems with ductwork or ductwork insulation will allow the temperature of the air inside the ducts to rise before it reaches the rooms. (It also will lead to a humidity increase, one of the warnings that you’ve got duct leakage.) The air conditioner will struggle to replace the lost cool air, resulting in the nonstop operation.
5. The AC is too old
Finally, the trouble may be that age has caught up with the system and it can’t keep pace with your summer cooling demands. Getting beat the summer AC rush can help you avoid bigger problems, and your HVAC experts can help you determine when it’s a wise idea to replace the system rather than keep repairing it.
If you’ve got an overactive air conditioner that sounds like it’s doing back-to-back marathons each day, get in touch with us for HVAC Service in Bossier City, LA or elsewhere in the Shreveport area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Why is my AC running all the time?
Answer: An air conditioner that runs constantly is often struggling to keep up with the cooling demand. Based on the page, common reasons include an undersized system, a dirty outdoor coil, a faulty thermostat, leaking ductwork, or an older unit that can no longer cool the home efficiently.
Question: Can an AC be too small for a house?
Answer: Yes, an undersized air conditioner may run almost nonstop and still fail to reach the thermostat setting. When a system does not have enough cooling capacity for the home, it keeps operating longer than normal. The article notes that correcting this usually means replacing the unit.
Question: Can a dirty outdoor coil make an AC run nonstop?
Answer: Yes, dirt and debris on the outdoor coil can make it harder for the system to release heat. When that happens, the refrigerant cannot cool properly, and the air conditioner has to work longer to produce the same result. Professional coil cleaning is a common solution.
Question: Could a thermostat problem keep my AC from shutting off?
Answer: It could. If the thermostat is reading the indoor temperature incorrectly or cannot communicate properly with the cooling system, it may fail to tell the air conditioner to stop. The article explains that recalibration or repair by an HVAC professional may correct the issue.
Question: When is it time to replace an old AC that runs constantly?
Answer: If your air conditioner is older, runs for very long periods, and still cannot keep your home comfortable, replacement may be the smarter long-term choice. The page suggests that aging systems can lose performance over time, making repeated repairs less worthwhile than upgrading.
Stop that runaway AC with a call to the Doctor of Home Comfort: Hall’s Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration.
