Why is my AC Unit Running Non-Stop?

Although air conditioning units are designed and sized to run the majority of the day during the summer, they should not be running 100% of the time. If your unit does this, there may be an issue. There can be many causes, here are the most common:

Issue #1 – Dirty air filter
Your air conditioning unit needs proper airflow in order to be able to cool the house. A dirty filter will block the air from traveling as designed, and can cause the unit to run and run, as it attempts to provide cool air. This is obviously bad news for your system, but luckily it can be a quick and easy fix if it is caught early enough.

Issue #2 – Low refrigerant
Air Conditioning units that are low on refrigerant are not running at full capacity. Although air flow may be adequate, the system needs chemical refrigerant to cool the air as it flows through. Without proper levels, the AC unit will have to run longer to bring the air temperature down and achieve the thermostat set point.

Issue #3 – Weak or failed electrical components
There are several electrical parts inside of an air conditioner such as capacitors and contactors. When these parts fail or begin to fail, it can cause the unit to run longer than needed or cause some motors to run non-stop or even not at all. In some cases, the compressor can stop running, but the fan motor will continue. This will make it appear that your unit is running non-stop, even though it is not cooling at all.

Issue #4 – The set temperature on the thermostat is too low
If you like your house to sit at 65 degrees, that is a lot to ask of your AC unit in the middle of July in Texas. Other times, we have encountered situations where someone in the house will dial the thermostat down as low as possible and simply forget to switch it back.

The good news is that over our many years of experience, we have seen all this and more. The friendly, professional HVAC experts as Gentry are here for you no matter what the issue is!