Why is My Air Conditioner Constantly Running?

Summertime is in full force and you’re trying to stay cool. You turn on your air conditioner (AC) to get a blast of cool air. Although you’re more comfortable, you notice after a while that the AC is constantly running. When you turn off your system, you notice that the temperature in your home goes up fast. How can this happen after it’s been on for so long?

Your air conditioning system constantly running means you’re constantly shelling out money to keep your house cool. We all know that the summer months call for these systems to be running, but not this much! 

So the question is; why is your AC constantly running? Here are four possible reasons why and how you can fix them:

1. Your home is poorly insulated

This is a common reason why AC systems constantly run and many homeowners pay such high cooling bills. In the summer, you want to keep the hot air outside your home and the air you just paid to cool inside!  With poor insulation, heat from outside the home can easily enter your walls and ceiling, raising the temperature of your home and making the AC constantly run. The best way to make sure your home is properly insulated is by having a home energy evaluation performed on your home. An energy evaluation will help pinpoint where your home lacks insulation, and ensure you have the right amount to resist heat gain from outside.

2.  Your home is leaky

When your home was built, the framers, HVAC contractors, masons, plumbers, and electricians made many holes in your walls and ceiling drywall for windows, pipes, wires, can lights, ducts, and chimneys. All these gaps and penetrations are spaces where hot air leaks into your home during the summertime, making it more difficult for your AC system to cool the home and keep you comfortable. Such areas need to be found and sealed so your home can keep the hot air out. Again, the best way to identify where all these problems exist in your home and to get them fixed is to have a home energy evaluation. 

3.  Your AC unit is due for maintenance

If you neglect the health of your air conditioning system, it will not function at its best. In order for your AC system to function at 100% every day, you must perform regular maintenance on it. For one, your air filter, coils, and ducts have to be cleaned on a regular basis. As time goes on, these areas inside your air conditioner can get dirty, making the AC system less effective at producing and distributing cool air to your home. Again, your AC must run longer to keep you cool and comfortable. Your AC system should receive regular cleaning and maintenance from your local professional HVAC contractor. 

4.  Your AC system is old

Perhaps your only solution to your issues is an AC replacement. AC units, like all other appliances, have a lifespan despite how well you take care of them. When your system is too old, it will constantly run, trying to function at its best when actually, it’s just wasting more money. When buying a new air conditioning system, make sure to check its EER and SEER ratings. The Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) denotes the efficiency of a cooling system at a specific outdoor temperature (usually 95 degrees Fahrenheit). Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is used to measure the efficiency of a cooling system over an entire cooling season. With both EER and SEER, the higher the rating means the unit is more efficient.

In an everlasting search for home comfort and low energy bills, make sure your air conditioning system is running efficiently this summer season. Contact your local Dr. Energy Saver and air conditioning contractor for expert help and advice.