When your home’s air conditioning system won’t turn on, you know you have a problem. But the opposite condition can also occur: an air conditioning system that keeps running continuously no matter how you adjust the thermostat. Why does this happen? We’ll take a closer look at some of the reasons and what you should do about it.
- The evaporator coil is dirty – This often happens to air conditioning systems that didn’t receive regular maintenance in spring. When the indoor coil is covered with grime, it will force the AC to work harder and stay on longer and longer in order to cool down a home—often not turning off at all. Don’t try to clean the coil yourself: call a technician to handle it.
- The evaporator coil is frozen – A number of different problems can result in a frozen evaporator coil, but all will have a similar result to a dirty coil: an air conditioner that cannot effectively cool down and must run continuously. Professionals will find out what caused the coil to freeze, repair the issue, and then defrost the coil.
- Wrong air filter – If your air conditioner uses disposable air filters, you must make sure that you put in the right type for the system. If you put in one with too high a MERV value, the restriction on airflow into the AC’s cabinet can cause it to run without stop. Check with professionals for the right kind of filter.
- The air conditioner is too small – If you only recently had the air conditioner installed, it may be too small for the space and will run nonstop trying to reach the target temperature. This is one of the reasons that you must always leave the installation of a new AC to professionals who will correctly size the unit.
There are other reasons for a continuously running air conditioner: call professionals to look over the system and find the cause so you can have the problem fixed quickly.
When you need professional air conditioning repair, call on the company that has served Fresno, CA and the rest of the Central Valley since 1952: Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. We are on call 7 days a week.