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Runaway AC! Why Your Air Conditioner Won’t Turn Off

blown-awayWhen your air conditioner won’t come on in the middle of the summer, you have a problem. Possibly a big problem that will make it necessary to call for professional air conditioning service in Winder, GA. But what happens when your AC won’t turn off? If you’re in the middle of a hot day, you might think, “Sounds like a great problem to have!” Trust the HVAC pros, this is not a good situation. An AC that won’t shut down will mean a house that is too cold, an AC that wears down fast, and extremely high bills. 

So let’s talk about the runaway AC. If you currently have this problem, you can put an immediate stop to it by shutting off the circuit breaker for the air conditioner at the electrical panel. This at least will stop the drain on energy and your house from turning into an igloo while you get professional help to find out what’s wrong. We’ll take a look below at some possible causes of the AC that won’t shut off.

The air conditioner is undersized for the house

Is this a new air conditioner you had installed this summer? Then the news may be dire—an AC that runs continually often means the air conditioner is incapable of cooling the house down to a comfortable level. This can occur because of an amateur or rushed installation job. Experienced HVAC technicians take special care to size an AC so it can meet comfort requirements. The only solution to an undersized air conditioning system is to have professionals replace it with an accurately sized one. 

The air conditioner is in its last stages

On the other hand, if this AC is an old family friend you’ve had hanging around for fifteen summers or more, it may be time to bid it farewell. Most ACs won’t last much over fifteen years and they’ll start to experience multiple malfunctions. Running constantly can indicate the AC is no longer able to reach its normal cooling demands because it has worn down too much. You can always get a professional opinion about a replacement, but over fifteen years is almost an automatic reason to get a new AC.

The thermostat is misreading the temperatures

We can’t blame it all on the air conditioner! A common cause for weird behavior from a central AC is trouble with the thermostat. A thermostat can become miscalibrated and read the house as warmer than it is—and that means it will tell the AC to keep running and running. Don’t fiddle with the thermostat to attempt to fix this: you want the problem solved at the core, which requires technicians to recalibrate the thermostat. 

The thermostat has lost its connection to the AC

Here’s another common thermostat problem that can create a nonstop air conditioner. Thermostats have different wired connections to control turning on and turning off the blower fan and the compressor. Losing one of the “off” connections means the thermostat can’t signal the blower or compressor to shut down. You’ll need experts to make the correction.

We’re here to help with your AC troubles, whatever they are. At Snellville Heating, Air and Plumbing, “Your comfort Is OUR Business!”

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