Imagine arriving home on a hot summer afternoon. The first thing you want to do is relax on your sofa and enjoy the cool air being circulated indoors by your AC. However, you notice something unusual with your AC: it doesn’t turn on and off as it normally does. Instead, your AC runs constantly without pausing. You also notice that the indoor air temperature doesn’t seem to be changing despite the thermostat readings being low. Your energy bills also seem to be skyrocketing. You know something's definitely wrong but you have no idea why your air conditioner won’t stop running. So why does this happen?
Why Does My AC Keep Running?
The issue of AC continuously running is a problem faced by many homeowners. There are various reasons why this could happen to your AC. It’s an issue that can however be solved by experienced HVAC professionals. Contact Moncrief Heating & Air Conditioning for your AC repair in Atlanta if you want professional help fixing your AC. So why is your air conditioner running constantly? Below are the reasons:
1 . Your AC's evaporator coil is dirty
If your AC has stayed for so long without being serviced, its evaporator coil may be covered with dirt or debris. The evaporator coil may also be covered with dirt/debris even if you recently serviced it. This can happen if it’s at a location such as near a busy restaurant kitchen where it collects a lot of grime.
2 . Your AC's air filter is clogged
Your AC's air filter may become clogged when it’s full of dirt or debris. When this happens, the flow of air may be restricted which in turn can cause your air conditioner to keep running.
You may also be interested in knowing: 5 Difficulties With Running Your AC Without a Filter.
3 . The thermostat is faulty
Another reason why your air conditioner is constantly running may be due to a faulty thermostat. What happens is, when your thermostat is faulty, the AC may not know how to turn off when the ideal temperature is reached. To know if your thermostat is faulty, just check if the indoor temperature is below the set point. If that’s the case, then your thermostat may need to be replaced.
4 . There are leaks in the ducts
Leaky ducts can also cause the AC to run all the time. Leaky ducts can happen if your building's ductwork is old. Indoor cool air may be lost through the leaks in the ducts. If this cool air keeps escaping through the leaks, your indoor temperature won’t reach the set point and thus your AC will keep running.
5 . Incorrectly sized AC
If your AC runs constantly, it could be due to an incorrectly sized air conditioner. This could happen if you changed the layout of your home or recently renovated it without replacing your AC. If this happened, your AC may not fully meet the needs of your home thus it may keep running. It’s vital that you get a correctly sized AC that will cover your entire renovated space. An HVAC expert can help do the calculations and estimate the right AC size for your new space.