If the Warrington home’s furnace turns on and then a short time later shuts off, this is known as short cycling. Not only is short cycling hard on your equipment, but it also greatly reduces the efficiency of your furnace. Below, we describe what you should do if your furnace is short cycling.
Causes of Short Cycling
There are a number of reasons that your furnace might be short cycling. Here are just a few of them:
- Furnace is too big – In this case, your furnace will heat your home very quickly and then shut off. As your home cools again, the furnace will turn on and heat up your home once again. Having a properly sized furnace is critical to your home’s comfort and efficiency.
- Clogged air filter – This is by far the most common cause of short cycling. When your air filter clogs, it restricts air from getting into your furnace. As your furnace heats up the heat exchanger, air is supposed to blow over the exchanger to carry the heat into your home. Without that air flow, your furnace will overheat and shut off.
- Thermostat – Sometimes, the cause of short cycling is a malfunctioning thermostat. If the thermostat isn’t working properly, it could be turning the furnace on and off mistakenly.
Why Short Cycling is a Problem
- More wear on your furnace – With all the constant turning on and off, it puts extra strain on your furnace. This increases the rate of wear and can also potentially increase repair costs.
- Reduced efficiency – With the furnace turning on and off, it doesn’t get the chance to realize any kind of efficiency that comes from running for an extended period of time.
What To Do If Your Furnace Is Short Cycling
The first thing you should do is check your air filter. If it’s dirty, you should change it out immediately. Not only can a clogged air filter cause short cycling, but it can also be the cause of other serious issues with your furnace.
If that doesn’t fix the problem, then you will most likely have to call a heating contractor. Carney Plumbing, Heating & Cooling offers complete furnaces services in Warrington. If your furnace is short cycling we can come to your home, diagnose the problem and offer a solution.