Air conditioning is practically essential for survival in the summer months. It doesn’t take long to realize when your home’s air conditioning isn’t working correctly on a hot day. Even if your house is being cooled, it can be concerning when your HVAC system behaves strangely.

Have you ever noticed your AC is constantly running? Sure, it’s cool and comfortable, but it’s wasting electricity by not shutting off now and then. Let’s look at why your AC fan is always running and what you can do about it.

WHY IS MY AC RUNNING CONSTANTLY: THE REASONS

THE THERMOSTAT IS SET TO ON INSTEAD OF AUTO

A relatively simple explanation is that your thermostat could be set to on, which tells the system to run the fan constantly whether the air conditioning is cooling or not.

THERMOSTAT MALFUNCTIONING

Your thermostat is more than just a device where you set the temperature; it also senses whether the room has gotten cool enough to shut off the AC. If the thermostat can no longer accurately tell the temperature or relay information to the HVAC system, it may need to be repaired or replaced.

ELECTRICAL ISSUES BETWEEN THERMOSTAT AND HVAC SYSTEM

While this issue is like a malfunctioning thermostat, it’s not quite the same. Your thermostat may be working properly, but if the electrical relays and switches that connect it to the HVAC system are faulty, it won’t be able to regulate when the AC fan turns off.

UNDERSIZED AC UNIT

An undersized AC unit may be blowing continuously because it can’t keep up with cooling your home. If the AC unit can’t cool your home, it’ll over-perform to do it – this can result in it constantly running, higher electricity bills, and needing to replace it sooner rather than later.

REDUCED AIR FLOW

Any number of things can cause airflow restriction through your AC system, such as a coolant leak, blocked ductwork, a dirty air filter, clogged vents, and more. Many of these issues you can troubleshoot yourself, such as cleaning your vents or changing the filter. Other situations, such as blocked ductwork, will require duct cleaning to clear out debris or dust filling your home’s air duct system.

DIRTY CONDENSER COIL OR EVAPORATOR

A dirty condenser or evaporator will force your unit to work harder, making it constantly run to keep up with the cooling demand. This one is easy to figure out: you’ll see dirt, debris, and other buildup in and around the coil and evaporator. Some units you can flush out with a water hose; others need to be taken apart to thoroughly clean.

CALL AN A.B. MAY TO TROUBLESHOOT WHY YOUR AC IS CONSTANTLY RUNNING

If your air conditioner is constantly running and you’ve tried the recommended solutions above to fix it, you should call us to come out and fix the issue. A.B. May’s team will come out, troubleshoot, and offer solutions to get your AC working the way it should be. Call or contact us today.