Why Does My AC Unit Turn On and Off Constantly?

Why does My Air Conditioner Keep Turning On and Off Constantly?

Dealing with the summer heat isn’t easy in San Antonio. Think about what your your AC is going through! If your Air Conditioning keeps turning on and off constantly, you’re experiencing something called “short cycling.” No this isn’t Danny Devito on a bike. This is a common problem that affects countless households across America, especially during those warmer months when your AC is switching on and off every few minutes.

However, just because it is an everyday occurrence doesn’t mean you should just ignore it. Because it’s an issue that can run up your electric bills and rack up repair bills too.

An air conditioner that isn’t working properly, even though it’s still limping along and cooling you, can show a number of dangers to your health and your family’s health, as well as the financial burden of your AC breaking down during the peak of brutal South Texas summers.

If you’ve been searching online for “my air conditioner keeps turning on and off by itself,” here are the most common reasons why that might be happening.

You May Have Thermostat Problems
If your AC goes on and off without warning, then the most likely cause if your thermostat. Your thermostat is the nerve center of your entire AC system, meaning that a faulty thermostat can prevent the whole thing from functioning.

It’s possible that the thermostat simply needs new batteries, or it just needs restarting. Equally possible is that the placement of the thermostat is causing problems.

If the thermostat is in an area that gets a disproportionate amount of heat or cold, it will automatically switch off the air conditioning. See if you can move your thermostat to somewhere in your home that is representative of your overall room temperature.

You Might Have A Dirty Air Filter – a REALLY Dirty Air Filter.
If the air filters in your AC are clogged, dusty, or dirty, this will affect how your AC functions.

If your AC turns on and off every few minutes, always open it up and check the air filters. Dirty filters can restrict the flow of air into your unit and even cause your HVAC unit to freeze up, causing the AC to switch itself off prematurely. Change your filters often in the summer if you want to avoid this in the future.

You May Have An Oversized Air Conditioner That Was Improperly Installed.
If your brand new air conditioner turns on and off right away, it is possible that the AC unit in your home is simply too big.

An oversized air conditioner will cool your home very quickly and then almost immediately switch off, and then likely switch back on again before it needs to.

This is because it is unevenly circulating cold air, and behaving sporadically as a result. If you suspect that your AC unit is too large, see what you can do to swap it for a smaller one.

Another symptom of an oversized AC unit is humidity in your home, even though it’s cool!

You May Have a Refrigerant Leak (a.k.a. freon leak)
When an air conditioner turns on and off without warning, a refrigerant leak is another extremely common cause.

Refrigerant is a substance that runs throughout your AC unit, regulating the internal pressure and temperature.

If there are holes in your AC that are causing this to leak out, problems will begin almost immediately.

A lack of refrigerant will cause the compressor in your AC to malfunction, sporadically turning on and off as it attempts to regulate the pressure. This, in turn, will cause the AC to constantly switch on and off.

AC freon leaks don’t always happen in a hose, they happen more often in your unit’s AC seals. Freon Leaks in your Air Conditioning Unit also happen due to rust or corrosion somewhere in the system such as a coil. These aren’t DIY situations as you’ll need a pro to assess whether it can be repaired or if you’ll need to have a new AC System installed.

AC Keeps Turning On and Off Constantly? Call our friendly technicians at Air & Plumbing Today. We’re ready to respond quickly and give you a fair estimate on repairs or HVAC system replacements. We offer discounts for first responders, military, retired military and more (thank you for your service). Call us at (210) 519-5959.