It’s hot here in New Mexico, which might make you think that your air conditioner is supposed to be running all day. While we use our AC systems as much as physically possible, they’re not actually supposed to keep running indefinitely until you switch them off. This is actually a very bad sign, and it will likely lead you down the path of an early system replacement.
Let’s think about this for a moment. If you’re invested in the quality and longevity of your AC, and you’d like to avoid air conditioning repairs in Albuquerque, NM, then you should want to run your system optimally. This means that your air conditioner should run for a normal amount of time, not too long, and not too short.
Let’s discuss why an air conditioner might struggle to turn off, and we’ll even tell you how long an air conditioner should run if it’s performing optimally.
What’s Going On?
In order to better inform you of the problem at hand, we need to talk about how your air conditioner works and why it might run for too long. As the temperature of your home rises above where it should be, the system begins the cooling process with a signal directly from the thermostat. This signals one of the capacitors to start consuming electrical energy and running the compressor, using refrigerant to cool the air of your home.
Eventually, when your home reaches the desired temperature specified on the thermostat, the air conditioner will slowly come to a stop so that all of the components are ready to start again when the temperature rises again. The ideal operating time for an AC is between 15-20 minutes. Anything more or less than this can be a bad sign.
An AC that’s running for too long means there’s a hiccup somewhere in this process. Keep reading below as we touch some of the main reasons why this might happen.
The Thermostat Is Set Incorrectly
The thermostat of your home should be set to your comfort standards, but it should also be set at a reasonable temperature. If it’s set more than 20 degrees below the temperature outside, it’s going to be extremely hard for your system to achieve the goal of cooling your home.
By upgrading your thermostat or setting it correctly, you could see your air conditioner stop working so hard or running for so long.
Incorrect System Installation
Sometimes, either through amateur installation or a poor setup, an air conditioner can be incorrectly installed. Perhaps your AC was sized incorrectly and is too small for your home, leading it to struggle with shutting off since it never reaches the specified comfort levels. There might be some other issue with the setup of your system. Either way, you should call us!
A Bad Capacitor
The capacitor is the component that signals your system to shut down or start up. If there’s something wrong with it, then this could be the source of your problem. Our team specializes in quick and effective repairs for broken AC components, so you’re in good hands when you call us.
Call First Rate Plumbing Heating and Cooling Inc. Quality work, exuberant service.