Why is My Air Conditioning Running All The Time?

Air conditioning is the antidote to fight a hot day in Eastern Ontario. A quick and easy solution to cool your home. But, unless you take good care of your AC, you can run into issues.

Have you noticed your air conditioning running all the time? That motor sound endlessly buzzing? The major cause is when something in your air conditioning is preventing it from reaching the set room temperature you’ve inputted.

Why is this bad? Your AC will wear out quicker and cost you an arm and a leg in electric bills.

Follow this list of reasons why your air conditioning is running all the time and get your AC back in working order.

1. Check Your Thermostat

Wrong Thermostat Setting: You are going to want to set your thermostat to your comfort zone, we suggest 72-75°F (21-24°C). If you chose to set it lower it does NOT make the A/C run any faster or better- in fact it may freeze up the indoor coil, causing even more damage. Depending on the heat and humidity this may take several hours. You should feel a drop in humidity in the home after an hour of running.

Thermostat Isn’t Working: If you check your thermostat and find nothing wrong with the settings, don’t count this step out. The problem could be that your thermostat isn’t reading the temperature in the room, which can keep your air conditioning running all the time.

One method to inspect whether your thermostat is working is by using a thermometer. Placing one near your thermostat will determine if the temperature of the thermometer matches the temperature on the thermostat. If they don’t match, it’s time to replace your thermostat, or call a service tech to calibrate it and set it properly.

2. Incorrect AC Size

Did you know that owning an incorrectly sized air conditioner is a bad thing? It’s true. Buying an improperly sized air conditioner can be the cause of your air conditioning running all the time.

If your air conditioner is too small, it works harder to set the temperature in your home because it’s not powerful enough to affect the size of your home. If your air conditioner is too big, it’ll run shorter cycles. That results in your house feeling cold and clammy. The air conditioner does NOT run long enough to remove the humidity in the home.

All of our proposals include the “Equipment Size Guarantee”. You the customer, do NOT have to bear the responsibility for determining the correct size and installation procedures. The AC installed by the professionals at ATEL Air will cool your home to your satisfaction or be replaced at no charge

3. Dirty Coils

If your air conditioner is running constantly, you may find the indoor or outdoor coil is dirty. A build up of dirt can decrease the amount of air exiting from your air conditioner. By blocking the air flow, it’ll take your air conditioner longer to cool the air in your home and in turn, causing your air conditioner to run longer.

Calling ATEL Air to service the AC system will eliminate any possibility of dirty equipment. FUN FACT- ~90% of our service calls are to dirty and neglected equipment.

Dirty Air Filters: A dirty air filter will slow down the movement of air thru the AC unit and cause the AC to run longer or fail if left over a longer period of time. If your air filter looks black, it means you need to change your air filter. If your air filter simply looks dirty, you can clean it with a vacuum.

5. Air Leaks

When your home isn’t properly insulated, the AC’s cold air can leak outside, which keeps your house hot and your air conditioner from achieving the set temperature. DON’T LAUGH we have seen some homes with the windows still open and the AC unit trying to cool the home. Please close your doors and windows when running the AC unit!

6. Refrigerant Levels

Another reason for your air conditioning running all the time is if you have a refrigerant leak or your levels are low. Low refrigerant levels reduce the system capacity and will cause early failure to the compressor. A maintenance inspection will check the performance of your AC unit to ensure the refrigerant level is correct.

The Government of Canada has issued a R22 refrigerant phase-out. If your AC unit was installed before 2010 it may have R-22 refrigerant. This is ONLY a concern if your system is leaking refrigerant, slow to cool or no longer cooling. If that is the case then it is time to upgrade to a new energy efficient model with the new refrigerant R-410A.

Replace Your Air Conditioner

Through the years, air conditioners have made huge improvements regarding quality and energy efficiency. Whether you own an outdated air conditioner or your air conditioner is experiencing issues, request a quote with ATEL Air and find out why we’re Eastern Ontario’s most trusted HVAC company.

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