When all is well, your heat pump should function according to a routine rhythm, alternating between action and dormancy. Short cycling is when your heat pump turns on and off without completing a heating or cooling cycle. It threatens to break this pattern and render your system useless. Let’s review some common causes of a heat pump short cycling in your Pembroke Pines, FL, home.
Airflow Obstructions
Without proper airflow, your heat pump won’t function as it should. If the system cannot push treated air into your home at a suitable rate, it may overheat and shut down. Later, it will cool down and restart, and this repeated behavior will result in short cycling.
The most frequent cause of weak airflow is a dirty filter. Other causes include leaky ducts, dirty coils and grime trapped in the compressor.
Changing or cleaning your filter every couple of months will take care of the first issue, while regular HVAC maintenance will resolve most of the others.
Refrigerant Leaks
Your heat pump cannot move heat from one area to another without adequate refrigerant. Many harmful effects will follow from a refrigerant leak, one of which is a decrease in the pressure prevailing inside your system.
If this pressure is too low, it’ll trigger a safety switch that will shut the system down. Subsequent signals from your thermostat may turn the system on again. When combined, these things would generate short cycling.
Thermostat Issues
Another possibility is that your heat pump’s erratic behavior may have nothing to do with the system’s physical integrity and functioning. Since your heat pump will ultimately respond to the signals the thermostat sends, both must cooperate. If someone installs the thermostat in a poor location or it malfunctions, it may send the wrong signals to your system, causing it to turn on and off repeatedly.
Once you notice your system short cycling, don’t ignore the problem. If you live near Pembroke Pines, FL, call Quality Air Conditioning Company to schedule our heat pump repair services today.
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