6 Reasons Your Air Conditioner Is Constantly Running

Is it Normal That Your AC Unit is Running Constantly?

1. Your Filter Needs Changing

When your air conditioner is pulling in air, it’s also pulling in dust, pet dander, and other contaminants which end up getting caught in the air filter. While that’s the air filter’s job is to stop all the dust and dirt from getting into the system, if it’s not changed, the filter clogs up. Air can’t flow freely into the system, so the unit has to work harder to keep your home cool. So, if you notice your AC is running constantly, check the filter first to see if it’s dirty and needs to be replaced.

2. Your Air Conditioner Coils Need Cleaning

While the filter is supposed to catch all the dirt, dander, and particles, some will slip through and collect around the coils. When the coils are dirty, your air conditioner struggles to absorb heat from the air and remove it from your home, which is why you should have your unit serviced annually to ensure it’s clean and running efficiently.

3. Your Thermostat Is Set Too Low

Your air conditioner can only do so much to cool your home and can only be effective at maintaining a set difference between your home and the outside temperature. For example, if it’s 95 degrees outside (not uncommon for the Triangle!), and your air conditioner is set at 68, your unit is going to constantly have to run to keep up, and it may fall short. Instead, raise the thermostat to a more realistic temperature, like 75 degrees and use fans to cool the air further during the hottest times of the day.

4. Your Home Has Air Leaks

If warm air is constantly entering your home through cracks around doors and windows or is seeping down from an uninsulated attic, your air conditioner is going to run constantly. Similarly, if you have leaky ductwork where cooled air can escape, the cooled air isn’t reaching the thermostat. The air conditioner is going to keep working to cool more air and thus, run constantly. Use caulk to seal windows, have installation installed in your attic, and have your ductwork inspected for leaks to start with to keep the cooled air in your home.

5. The Air Conditioner Is Old

As your AC unit gets older, the components wear out and lose their efficiency and effectiveness. In order to keep up, the unit will have long or continuous cooling cycles. If your unit is over 10 years old and the components that are causing the inefficiencies can’t be easily replaced or repaired, you may want to consider updating to a newer, more efficient unit.

6. The Air Conditioner Is Too Small for Your Home

Often, builders or homeowners will choose a smaller air conditioning unit in order to save money, but this is a short-term solution that can lead to long-term problems. A unit that is too small is going to run more frequently in order to cool your home, which will lead to higher energy bills. Over time, this will also strain the unit and shorten its lifespan, requiring you to have to replace the unit well before it should be necessary to do so.

Contact Us for Air Conditioner Repair in Garner Today

If you’ve changed your filters and checked your thermostat, it’s time to call in a professional to see what’s causing your air conditioner to run constantly. With over 30 years of experience and a dedicated, certified team of HVAC technicians, you can feel confident that we’ll get to the root of the problem quickly and have your AC running efficiently in no time. Call us today at  919-772-2759 or fill out the form below to get started!